Lane's Odyssey
by traLane
Summary: After the Darkness takes over, Lois is given a chance to change the past and save Clark in the process. Rewrite of Season 8. Cover photo by Liesel at Kryptonsite.
1. Prologue

Summary: After battling for months, Lois Lane is given the chance to go back and prevent the Darkness from coming, saving Clark in the process.

Rewrite of Season 8; Drama, action and Clois!

Disclaimer - I own nothing; all rights belong to Warner Brothers, the CW and Millar and Gough. For entertainment purposes only, no money is involved, only sweat and worry.

I am a first-time fanfiction writer and I welcome comments.

Thanks to Sara Wolfe, my beta, for being supportive and responsive. Many thanks to Briee, one of the best, for keeping the emotional content on track. She's my hero because, not only does she write great stories, she finishes them. I promise to do the same for any of you who join in this adventure.

**PROLOGUE**

_**Star City, 2011 **_

Lois Lane stood alone on the roof of the Star City Chronicle, watching her city burn. The city that had been her home for almost three years was on fire. Buildings, cars, street lights, even people, all burning. Shouts, screams, and occasional gunshots rose through the darkness with the smell of smoke. Flames provided the only light in the dark of evening.

How had it come to this?

Being Mad Dog Lane, she had investigated, probed and typed up the results, but this time she couldn't get the answers to all of her questions. Maybe she would get the answers to some of them tonight.

_Maybe not._

She drew in a shaky breath at the thought. She rubbed the scars along her neck, a nervous habit that reminded her she wasn't a reporter anymore. She was a fighter. After the Darkness invaded, people fell into one of two camps, fighters or victims, and Lois Lane would never be a victim.

Still, the need for answers burned. After all, her job had never been about the work, the writing or even her precious Kerth; it was always about the truth, learning from history and trying to make things better. That was what the truth did.

After six months of fighting, it seemed that there was no truth. Regrets and questions were all that were left.

Why did the Darkness invade?

How did it get here?

Why did it take some, but kill others?

The last question was the one that haunted her. She'd lost so many to the Darkness. First, there had been the General, the one man who seemed indestructible to her, sent in when martial law was imposed. After the General had died, Martha and Chloe lost their lives as part of the battle for Metropolis. She'd learned about and then lost Kara and Victor in the span of a few weeks. Equally hard were the loss of her co-workers - Hank, the irascible editor who treated her like a daughter; Sally, the social editor; and Ben, the freckle faced intern. Finally, there was Dinah, who'd become her friend and fellow protector of Star City. Each and every loss had been like a stab to her heart, sharp and painful, until the sheer multitude of wounds filled her with a continual ache.

Tonight she was feeling especially sore, the constant pressure to give up weighing her down. This needed to end. She needed it to end. A warrior knew when it was time to call a halt to battle. Her hand dropped from her scarred neck. She didn't need any more reminders of why she was here.

She glanced around for her team even though she knew they were hidden. Oliver and J'onn should be in position and waiting, like her. Of the small band that was left, these two were in the best position to help her fight him or turn him.

Would he show?

Oliver didn't think so, but Lois knew better. Only she knew what was offered as bait and why he wouldn't be able to resist it. It would be enough.

Mentally, she reviewed her strategy for the hundredth time. It was a risky to meet him alone, but it was the only way. He never recognized the others or responded to their threats or promises, only hers. She wondered at it, at the connection that was there. Incredible, really, when she had cut him from her life two years ago and the Darkness had taken him only a year previous.

In one of her articles, she had named him "Night" after the Darkness that followed him. At the time, she knew what he was doing but not who he was. Ironic when she found out; she was always giving him nicknames that captured his essence. Maybe that's why this name stuck; it defined who he had become, a harbinger of the Darkness.

She saw him then, as if her very thoughts had brought him to her. He crossed the evening sky, only darkness and shadow, a black streak against the stars. Here and there fire would shoot from his eyes down toward the city, marking his passing with destruction.

_Why him?_

_How had this happened?_

_Would this work?_

The questions were never far when he was near.

He flew like an arrow straight to the Chronicle, landing only feet in front of her, standing still and tall. His eyes never rested, they darted all around, looking for a threat. She noticed that his eyes never landed on her. Even though she knew he didn't consider her a threat, it rankled.

So she straightened and let her eyes dart over him, searching him for the unexpected.

He came alone; he was always alone. He carried no weapons, but he didn't need any. The all-black that he wore was the same, complete with the long black coat. Her eyes didn't linger on his face, but seeing it was always a shock … gaunt, drawn, and sallow, with dark circles under his eyes.

She knew that his appearance was caused by limited exposure to the sun. As a result, Oliver had thought that his powers would diminish over time. They had waited in vain for that to happen.

_No more waiting._

Taking a deep breath and rubbing at the scars on her neck, she looked into his eyes. No matter how she prepared herself, it wasn't enough. They were steel gray, shuttered and cold, no longer revealing his every emotion to her. At the same time, when she looked closely, she saw a flicker, something like that night seven years ago when she had practically run him in down in the cornfield …

… when he had been lost and alone.

His face now reflected the same loss of self. She could see it and remember. Maybe that's why this connection existed, why he would respond to her and no one else. Couldn't the others see it? It made no sense. Of course Oliver never tried, but J'onn … they had been friends, too.

She watched as his eyes burned red, moving to take out a couple of the traps she'd set earlier as distractions. Her breath stilled, as it always did when he used his heat vision. When he was finished, his eyes moved back to hers. Unable to resist, she lifted the side of her mouth and her brow, as if to say, "What did you expect?"

Perverse to the end, she couldn't resist taunting him.

He responded. It was brief but, for a second, his expression seemed to mirror hers, and it rocked her. Memories of bantering and bickering, images of the boy he used to be clashed with what she saw now and she was blindsided.

_God, can I do this?_

She took a quick step forward, tilting her head slightly and looking straight into his eyes. Not before she got some answers.

"What happened to you?" She demanded.

No response.

Maybe she'd imagined it. It wouldn't be the first time she thought she saw something in him that wasn't there. She stepped closer, and looked into his face.

"How did this happen to you?" She almost shouted in her frustration.

Nothing.

His lack of response infuriated her. Who did he think he was anyway? He wasn't meant to be this creature. Of all of them, he had the means to stop the madness. They needed him. _She_needed him.

She felt it then, her craving for the person he used to be.

_No, not now._

This was the time for fighting, not for these feelings that would make her want things she couldn't have, things she'd never had. Unabated, the need swelled inside her until she couldn't ignore it or push it back to wherever she hid it when he wasn't around.

Furious with her own lack of self-control and fuming over his lack of response, she launched herself at him, taking it out on him by hitting and cursing, beating against his chest and arms. She raged against him, trying to hurt him as he had hurt her, trying to get some kind of response or some answers, anything. It was stupid, she knew. He could swat her like a fly at any time but he didn't. After a few minutes, he simply grabbed her arm and she stopped.

Cold, extreme cold; it radiated from his hand down her body.

She shivered and pulled away. What was she doing? She knew better. She rubbed the scars along her neck. She should hate him and be done with it. But she couldn't, damn him. Despite what he'd done, despite what he'd put her through, she could never hate him.

God, how could someone so empty make her feel this way?

_…because he wasn't always so empty._

Detached and still, he continued to watch her, while she sighed at her own stubbornness. It was useless, she knew, but at least she could say that she tried. "Never give up" was a Lane motto after all.

Her emotional assault may not have worked, but it did place her close enough to him to initiate her planned attack. Still breathing heavily, hoping against hope that her strategy would work, Lois leaned over as if to catch her breath and quickly pulled out the small piece of sharp green crystal from the lead-lined pouch at her waist. It was a very small piece, one of the last, but anything bigger and he would have noticed the compartment. She had to trust that it was enough.

The minute the meteor rock was in her hand, she looked up through her lashes and saw the shock and pain in his face. She quickly darted behind him so she could remain close but out of reach and waited. When he didn't move, she moved in closer. The resulting grunt was loud enough for her to hear and she watched as he doubled over and wrapped his arms around himself as if to contain the pain. The green of the rock seemed to color his skin and sweat broke out on his brow as he took a stumbling step away. Hearing about the effect of the rock and seeing it were two different things; he really seemed powerless. Afraid to move or change the dynamic, Lois stood perfectly still, rock in hand.

_Maybe this will work._

The arrow that flew through the air and shot through Night's chest was not part of the plan.

_Oliver! Damn him, he could never forgive._

They had argued about this, only hours before - immobilize or destroy?

Lois sucked in her breath as she saw how easily the arrow penetrated. Night fell to his knees and, eventually, to his back. Blood was covering his chest, and he struggled for breath.

When he fell, she tried to run to him but realized the green rock that was now cutting into her hand was hurting him as well. She stilled, thoughts tumbling in her brain as she considered what to do. If she let go of the rock, they would be destroyed. If she stayed close, he would die.

Inching away, she glanced out of the corner of her eye at J'onn, who had landed on the roof right after the arrow struck. Keeping one eye on Night, Lois raised a brow at J'onn, who simply shrugged. He always had trouble reading Night's thoughts, something about him being controlled.

A frustrated moan escaped her as Night's breathing became more labored. Taking a few steps back, she watched as it steadied and he looked into her eyes. Steel gray seemed to soften for a minute and she was mesmerized by the look that crossed his face.

"Lois," he breathed. …

_Oh God, now he was talking._

As color gradually returned to his irises, Lois focused on the expression or awareness within. Gray turned to soft blue and she saw what she thought was approval or appreciation.

_Surely he didn't want to die?_

Her hand covered her mouth, to keep in a scream or a sob, she wasn't sure.

"Lois," he mouthed again, and Lois was transported to the time when a boy of eighteen was lying helpless on the floor, surrounded by green rock after saving her from the plastic surgeon and a nightmare of needles.

Throwing down the stone, she ran to him. It was her turn …

Before she could reach him, before she could shout out her orders to J'onn, her body was frozen by a unnatural white light. She could see everything as if through a light fog, but she couldn't hear and she couldn't talk. Struggling mightily, she tried to reach him but couldn't break free. She could see that Night wasn't breathing any longer. Tears streamed down her face as she continued to resist the pull of the light. Her last thought was that she had killed him, she had killed Clark Kent, and then there was nothing more.

TBC - comments are welcome...


	2. Chapter 1  After Apocalypse

**CHAPTER ONE - AFTER APOCALYPSE**

_**Legion headquarters, 3011**_

When awareness returned, Lois was in a sterile white room in a hospital bed.

_Jesus, not again …_

She'd had enough of hospitals to last her a lifetime. Before she could fully assess her surroundings, the monitors next to her started beeping, and the door opened. A young blond woman walked serenely into the room.

"How are you feeling?" She asked, using that "hospital" tone that grated on the nerves, at least Lois' nerves.

"Like I'm ready to go home," said Lois warily.

"Well, you're not quite ready for that yet, but you will be … soon." Lois noted the hesitancy in her voice.

"No, I think I'm ready now," said Lois, swinging her feet to the side of the bed.

_Whoa._

She felt like road kill, every muscle in her body ached. She wasn't sure she could make it to the door but she needed to get out of here, find out what happened to her team and to … Clark. After seeing the light return to his eyes, she couldn't think of him as Night any more.

"You can't leave yet," the young woman said calmly.

_Yeah, just watch me._

When Lois tried to rise, all the muscles in her legs contracted and she had to sit back down.

"Let me go! You can't keep me here," Lois threatened, frustrated by her weakened condition. She had to find out what was happening. What had she and the team done?

The young woman smiled and Lois heard the words in her mind, noticing that woman didn't move her lips, "Don't worry, I will not harm you. We want to help you and your world, just calm down-"

"Calm down? I'm perfectly calm; why wouldn't I be calm? I just lost my team and destroyed my … and I don't know where I am!" Lois yelled, rubbing the scars on her neck.

When the woman simply stood there with a sympathetic smile on her face, Lois' natural curiosity got the better of her and she couldn't resist asking her questions.

"By the way, how did you do that?"

"I am what you'd call a telepath," said the young woman, moving her lips and speaking out loud this time. "My name is Imra and you are Lois Lane," she finished with a flourish, as if Lois was somehow well-known and Imra was her biggest fan.

_Yeah, big whoop!_

The young woman's smile widened a bit, and it felt like she was laughing at her.

"Wait, can you hear my thoughts?" Lois asked forcefully.

_Oh, boy._

"Not your thoughts, exactly," Imra said, looking down with the smile still fixed to her face.

"Okay," Lois replied dragging out the word. Uncomfortable with the idea of a mind reader, she didn't want to push too hard. She needed more information, which meant she needed cooperation.

"Well, say I believe you, _Imra_, I still want to know where I am and why I'm here," Lois demanded.

_Always take charge of the situation, as the General used to say._

"Oh, and I'd like something to eat, I'm hungry. By the way, I hate hospitals and, if you really know me you should know that, so I need a room that doesn't feel like a hospital room."

Imra seemed overwhelmed for a minute. She paused.

"I can tell you … that you are with the Legion of Superheroes. We are a group of beings banded together to fight the Darkness," she responded carefully. "You are here to heal and, we hope, to help us."

"Well, I've got no love for the Darkness, but you probably know that, being a telepath and all – and what kind of 'beings'?" Lois fired back at her.

_Haven't lost my touch_, she smirked to herself, seeing the young woman caught off guard.

"That's a lot to cover right now, especially when you need rest. Now why don't you relax and I'll search for new accommodations and make sure you get something to eat?" She walked over to the bed and pulled back the covers.

With a roll of the eyes, Lois laid back down.

As soon as Imra was gone, Lois wasted no time searching for anything that might indicate where she was. Nothing, the room was solid white with no windows, and even the equipment had no markings. She sat back and sighed, frustrated with the situation. She wasn't worried about her safety, exactly. Her gut was telling her that the woman … _Imra_, was honest. It was Lois' team she was worried about. Had they made a difference?

While the food was more for rabbits than humans, her new accommodations were comfortable. Lois had to be assisted, much to her dismay, to the small apartment complete with a full-sized bed, couch, chair, desk, kitchenette and small bathroom off the main room. There were still no windows, but the colors were yellow and blue with hints of red. Lois felt more at ease right away.

The monitors came with her and, while Imra kept a daily watch, the healing process went slowly. Eventually, Lois was feeling a hundred percent and going stir crazy.

"Tell me where my friends are and why I'm still here," Lois demanded, pacing as far as her room would let her.

"We will; we've been waiting for you to heal," Imra responded in her usual calm tone. "I need to talk to some members of the Legion, and I'll try to return later this evening with the answers you seek."

At the end of the day, Imra walked through the sliding door with two young men, one with brown-hair and a serious expression, the other with red hair, freckles and a twinkle in his eyes.

"Lois Lane," said the brown-haired man, "I am Rokk and this is Garth." He pointed to the red-head. "We have brought you here to help us with the Darkness," he paused and looked at Imra. She nodded.

"You need to know that you are in the future, the thirty-first century to be exact."

Lois laughed; she couldn't help it. Even though she knew about the telepath, these kids all looked too normal to be from the future. Of course, the thought came unbidden, Clark had looked normal, too …

Her heart dropped as she thought of their final battle. She hadn't wanted him to die. He'd been a vessel, nothing more; she'd wanted to bring him back.

She could still see his eyes, gray fading to soft blue as he finally returned to himself, only to struggle with each breath until the color turned to black.

Her laughter turned to tears, something that seemed to be happening a lot lately. Lois looked down at her lap before she embarrassed herself and waved her hand, motioning for the serious kid to continue.

His voice, unusually somber for his age, reminded her of Clark. And, as he persisted in telling her about the Darkness, mostly things she already knew, her mind wandered to her early days on the farm and the young boy with the weight of the world on his shoulders. This young man seemed the same. What responsibilities were these kids carrying?

It was when Rokk started talking about the Legion and about time that he captured Lois' attention. Evidently there had been a break in the time continuum that allowed the Darkness to invade Earth. According to Super Kids the invasion of the Darkness was a mistake. In fact, Clark Kent was some sort of well-known hero that was supposed to have stopped it.

"Clark, a hero?" Lois laughed but even to her ears, it sounded forced. She thought of the times he'd saved her, Chloe, Oliver, and others. She'd known he was special even before Oliver had told her his secret, before the Darkness had taken over. Still, Oliver constantly complained that Clark had not lived up to his full potential. Was this what he meant? Of course, Oliver was always so bitter where Clark was concerned that his opinions were a bit biased.

"Well, what happened?" Lois asked, "Why didn't Clark stop the Darkness?"

"Events did not transpire as they were meant to," Rokk told Lois. "There was a break in one chain of events that affected Clark Kent in a way no one anticipated."

"And what was that?" Lois asked, irritated that he didn't continue.

It was Imra who finally spoke, after the three of them stopped staring at each other. Lois wondered if they were communicating telepathically. She was about to admonish them for being rude when she was rendered speechless.

"You left him," Imra told her.

_**Two days later**_

Lois was still pacing in her room, her thoughts in chaos. The only thing running through her mind was that these kids must have been spending time with the General if they thought this was all her fault. It simply wasn't possible.

Catching a glance of herself in the mirror above the dresser, she paused to look. She didn't look like a destroyer of worlds. Her face was a little thin, her hair was shoulder-length and dark, hazel eyes reflecting the battles she'd fought, but there was no way she'd played any part in bringing the Darkness to Earth. She'd never even heard of it until Night brought it with him from Metropolis. From that point on, she'd fought it with every fiber of her being.

She definitely was not at fault for Clark's ultimate demise, even if she'd left him. He hadn't seemed that upset when she'd decided to stay in Star City. Any unhappiness on Clark's part always had more to do with Lana than with her. Lois could clearly remember one of their last conversations.

_"Oh, hey, Clark," Lois said into her phone as she opened the door to her tiny Star City apartment._

_"Hey, Lois, I was just calling … you know," Clark said, seeming unable to finish his thought._

_"Right," Lois said sarcastically, "I could tell because we're __**talking on the phone**__." Lois dropped her purse on the counter and kicked off her shoes on the way to her bedroom. It had been a rough day._

_"Look, if this has something to do with Lana, I don't want to be rude but I've had kind of a bad day," Lois started, when Clark remained silent. That was usually a clue that something was wrong._

_"No, it's nothing about Lana," Clark said. "Why don't you tell me about your day?"_

_So she did. It was nice to talk to someone who knew her, who understood her reactions to unreasonable deadlines and outdated computers and geeky little interns who followed her around …_

_"Kind of like you, Smallville," Lois teased, falling on the bed and looking through the mail while she got comfortable against the headboard._

_"So, when are you coming back?" He asked._

_"What do you mean? I've told you, I like it here," Lois answered irritably. He always asked her that question._

_"You're too good for the Chronicle," Clark told her sounding irritated himself. "You belong at the Daily Planet."_

_Lois grimaced as the comment hit home. The Planet was the best. She took a deep breath._

_"Maybe I'll get back there someday, but there's a lot I can learn here at the Chronicle," Lois finished, knowing her excuses were starting to sound lame._

_"What can you learn there that you can't here?" Clark asked, lowering his voice._

_Lois paused as her first thought was "how to get along without you." She couldn't tell him that._

_"A lot of things," she mumbled. "Look Clark I've got to go. I have a busy day tomorrow."_

_"What about our team of Lane and Kent?" Clark asked his quiet voice sounding almost desperate._

_"We were never a team," Lois' voice reflected her frustration. "We wrote some stories together, that's all. You're a big boy now and you'll just have to get along without me."_

_"What if I can't?" Lois barely heard the whispered comment._

_"You don't have a choice," Lois said firmly, her decision made as she disconnected._

Lois shook her head at the memory. It was all about Lana. Clark called her a few days later and admitted that Lana had left him, confirming what Lois suspected all along.

_There was nothing special about Lois and Clark._

Hitting the buzzer on the wall, Lois called back Rokk, Imra and Garth. Tired of debating with herself, she started arguing with them the minute they walked in. Their facts must be wrong; she and Clark were barely friends on a good day, how had she ruined things for him? Rokk showed her the data on a data pad. She didn't understand any of it. Imra pointed out that there was a connection, even when Clark was taken over by the Darkness. That ended the argument for Lois; no one was supposed to know about her and Night. With that, she pushed all three out of her room.

It didn't take long for her to rebound, though, and she called them back later that day, pointing out that she and her team had tried to fix things. How did they know her team hadn't succeeded? Rokk escorted her to the observation deck. Evidently, League headquarters was some kind of space station that circled the Earth, but not the Earth that Lois knew. Instead of a beautiful blue and green planet, the station floated above a charred and blackened sphere. According to Rokk, the planet darkened and the population disappeared a few months ago. Certain protections were afforded the station by virtue of its unique members and their abilities. Otherwise, none of them would be here either.

Lois couldn't accept what she was seeing. No life existed on Earth. An entire planet and its population had disappeared because of a decision she'd made. It was inconceivable!

Mind made up, Lois turned from the observation deck and looked at Rokk.

"How do we fix it?" She asked him.

For the first time since they'd met, Rokk smiled.

_**Three weeks later**_

Lois was watching Garth as he strapped her to the ring device which would allow her thoughts and memories to be sent back to her younger body.

"Hey, Garth," she smirked. "Where's my DeLorean?" The redhead looked up from the strap he was securing and laughed.

"No mere DeLorean for the great Lois Lane," he told her, always the one with a sense of humor. "Only the finest Reasoning Interval Repeating Cylinder for you."

"Yeah, say that five times fast without stuttering," Lois fired back, the banter calming her nerves.

Unfortunately, during the rest of the hour-long process dialog was at a minimum and Lois felt her fears resurface. When the last strap was in place, she grabbed Garth's hand and held it, turning her head to make sure that Imra was busy. Like an operating room, there was an observation area with glass separation where the other two were currently prepping the computer equipment. Right now, Lois did not need Imra picking up her vibes.

"What if this doesn't work?" Lois asked Garth quietly.

"Are you Lois Lane?" He fired back without skipping a beat.

"Duh," Lois said rolling her eyes. Garth grinned at her, his eyes twinkling.

"Then this will work," he told her, making a few adjustments to the straps. Lois couldn't resist smiling at him. Garth and Imra treated her like she was as famous as Clark, or whatever his "hero" name was, which must be pretty famous since he was supposed to be known in galaxies far, far away. Lois wasn't used to having such fans.

Slightly reassured by a confident Garth, she took a deep breath, closed her eyes and tried to prepare for what was going to happen. Mentally, she reviewed the past few days.

_After some debate, they'd decided to send only her thoughts and memories back, discarding the idea of sending Lois herself to convince her earlier counterpart to stay in Metropolis. Eventually they'd figured it was too risky to have two Lois Lanes running around. Even if she could convince her very stubborn younger self to change her plans, there was a chance that someone would see both of them. According to Rokk, that was bad. Besides, Lois would have to do more than convince her younger self to just stick around._

_In the League's history, Lois was more than friends with Clark. They were a couple._

_When Lois found that out, she thought they were nuts and told them so. While Garth laughed and Imra smiled, Rokk was not amused._

_"What do you mean?" He asked. "This is the way history was meant to be. You must fix it if you are to save Earth … and many other worlds as well."_

_"How am I supposed to do that? I tried the romance thing once with Clark once and it bombed. He left me standing alone, high and dry." She was surprised to find that saying the words brought back the feelings. It still hurt._

_"But you're more aware now," Imra said, placing a comforting hand on Lois' arm, "and you can act accordingly. It should be easier if you know it was meant to be."_

_"Of course," Rokk began, earning a glare from Imra, "even if Clark Kent doesn't return your affections, you must continue to support and challenge him. If you make this choice, you can never leave him."_

_"So I've got to stay by Clark even if he doesn't want me? I'm not sure I can do that," Lois told them honestly, choking a little on the words._

_"To save the World?" asked Garth. "Clark will save people without asking anything in return. Surely you can give some of that back to him?"_

_"And if he doesn't want me around?" Lois finished, knowing that she was grasping at straws. Clark had never pushed anyone away, especially not Lois; it had been her choice to leave the last time._

_"There's a connection there, Lois. Clark needs you," Imra said, smiling that knowing smile. "He may not always recognize it, but you can make him see."_

What if she couldn't?

"Are you ready?" At Garth's question, Lois opened her eyes.

"No," Lois told him, shaking her head. "Lanes do not live in the past," she told him, hearing the panic in her voice.

"Then make a new future," Garth told her after a second of reflection, grinning and squeezing her hand.

"Take care of the leftovers," Lois directed, using sarcasm to calm herself as she heard the device activate. She was told that her body would be put into stasis and preserved, which seemed odd, but who was she to stop them if they wanted a souvenir. Plus, according to the General, it never hurt to have a back up.

Garth waved, smiling as he walked out of the room. Lois took a deep breath, but it didn't help. She wasn't ready. She didn't feel invested in this plan. There were no specific strategies she could apply, no battle tactics to implement.

The acid that was already building in her stomach started to rise up in her throat.

_Oh God, I'm going to be sick._

She looked around and spotted Imra looking at her through the observation window.

Imra's words were surprisingly calming.

_Clark needs you …_

Lois could see gray eyes softening to blue as awareness returned to them. Maybe she could save him this time. Maybe she'd never really had a choice.

After all, it was her turn. 


	3. Chapter 2 Odyssey Over

**CHAPTER TWO - ODYSSEY OVER**

_**Black Creek facility, June 2008**_

Amazing; of all the times to send her to, and they send her back for another fight. In reality, this was a search and rescue operation, but if things went as well as last time, Lois knew there would be fighting.

Why did she agree to this? Trying to save the world once wasn't enough for her. Evidently, she just had to go back and do it again.

_Let's hope this time turns out better._

And now it was her job to save Clark Kent, the man she had killed to save the world just weeks ago. Okay, so she didn't shoot the arrow that did it, but still …

_It felt so wrong._

Again, she battled against the anger and resentment she'd felt since she woke up alone in her younger body. Without Imra around to sense them, all Lois' negative emotions surfaced, until now those feelings were the ones that drove her, carried her through the moments and days she didn't want to re-live, like that stupid stand-off with Tess in Lex's library yesterday.

_Talk about meetings better left forgotten._

Adding to her frustration was the fact that the subject of her assignment wasn't anywhere to be found. Why the Super Kids had returned her to a time when the target was MIA, and had been for over a month, was beyond her. Oh, she knew she'd run into him here somewhere, but still all that time by herself was unsettling.

Free time just meant more time for questions. Why him, anyway? Sure, he was an alien with superpowers, but what made him so special? How was he better than Dinah, Oliver or J'onn? The Darkness had certainly used him efficiently, but without leadership, Clark was kind of weak.

Why her? Why hadn't Mrs. Kent, Chloe or Lana been able to steer him from the dark side? Really, Lois may have been carried away by some "sparks in the trenches" at work and an almost kiss but nothing every came of any of it. Of course, when he was Night … no, she wasn't going there.

Lois stopped, leaned up against one of the tiled walls that all looked alike in the Black Creek facility, and shook her head. Why was she going over all of this again? She'd already made these arguments to the Future Kids and lost. That was bad enough but, alone, with no one to yell at, she felt pressured, pushed, and a bit off balance. How did you develop a strategy for mission like this?

_Focus, that's how._

Straightening her body, she began striding down the empty halls of Lex's prison, looking for Chloe. Even though she'd been here before it was all a bit fuzzy, especially in this industrial building where every hall looked the same. Lois hated how it smelled like a hospital; it seemed worse the second time around.

She heard the footsteps before she saw the two guards. They looked familiar.

"What are you doing here?" asked the sandy-haired one.

"That's a long story," Lois said. "Not sure you want to hear it … but, then again, maybe you should, before you two end up like me."

They looked at her strangely but didn't appear nervous; they seemed to be accepting her uniform as authentic. She started walking in a direction that seemed familiar. The guards followed.

_Always act like you know what you're doing._

"Well, I used to work for Luthorcorp Security in Metropolis; you know, beautiful big city Metropolis?" She caught the dark-haired guard rolling his eyes.

"Never been to the big city, Mountain Man?" Lois snarked. He blinked.

"Never mind, one day, I was supposed to watch our illustrious leader, you know, Lex Luthor himself." At that, the sandy-haired guard looked mildly impressed.

"He was heading out of town to wherever it is he hasn't come back from." Both guards swallowed at that.

"Well," she continued, on a roll now. "The batteries in my alarm clock went dead and I overslept; missed the biggest security gig of my life. I thought I'd get fired for sure but, after Baldy never returned, I got transferred here."

"I can't believe it," she said, walking through one of the many internal doors. "One alarm clock malfunction and suddenly you're demoted and sent to Deliverance territory."

She just happened to look right to get her bearings and froze. There stood Clark at the end of the hall. Shock, anger, resentment, fear, and something she couldn't name seemed to tighten in her chest until she couldn't breathe. She blinked and rubbed her neck, _no scars_.

She steeled herself against her emotions; she still had to get near him if this was going to work. Infuriated by his innocent, surprised expression, she stormed over to confront him and prevent his capture.

_Idiot._

It was childish to call him names in her head, but it did make her feel better.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she asked abruptly, allowing herself to vent some of her anger and frustration. It seemed appropriate under the circumstances. She would get through this … again.

As he stammered and stuttered in response, her irritation increased.

One of the guards spoke up, "You know him?"

"Yes," Lois responded quickly, looking at the guard.

"No," she heard Clark say at the same time.

"He wishes he didn't know me," she responded, turning back to Clark. "I thought I dropped you at your cell?" Lois continued, nodding her head, trying to give him the hint to play along.

"I'll take him back," said the guard closest to her, reaching for Clark.

Lois stuck her arm out. "And get me sent to the Sahara?" She argued, moving closer to Clark before she turned to face the guard.

"One demotion this week is enough," she added.

The sandy-haired guard wasn't buying it. He stepped toward Clark. "I'll handle it," he said.

But Lois was ready for the fight this time, and she took out both guards before Clark could even move. The sandy-haired one got her hand in his throat at the same time she delivered a roundhouse kick to the other guard. Once her training kicked in, she felt calmer.

_Punching and hitting certainly works out the frustration._

Leaving both guards sprawled out on the floor Lois relieved the sandy-haired guard of his gun and took off down the hallway. She knew Clark would follow, but she couldn't look at him right now. Again, she rubbed her neck – _no scars_. She needed to get her head in the game.

"What are you doing here?" she asked harshly.

"I hear they make a good espresso," Clark replied.

"What, you disappear for a month and come back with a sense of humor?" she returned just as snidely, marveling at how natural it felt to banter with him. She checked the clip in the gun and returned it efficiently to the butt.

"I've been tracking Chloe down," he replied, taking long strides to keep up with her. "Question is, how did you get here?"

"Feminine charm," she quipped without thinking, and then stopped. Lois was not good at repeating herself, and this was not a game, no matter how natural it felt.

She turned to face Clark, holding the gun in front of her, not exactly pointed at the ground, and watched as Clark took a step back.

"You have a lot of nerve!" Lois' fury boiled over and she just couldn't play with the same words. "You just took off to look for Chloe, gone without a word," Lois turned and cocked the gun. "You left your friends, your family, turned away from everyone …" She stopped, as she realized she was starting to talk about dangerous territory, Darkness territory. This was not the time to demand explanations. She needed to get a handle on her antagonism or this would be over before it began.

"Why don't you put a sock in it, and do exactly what I tell you," she said as she continued down the hall. "That way we can find Chloe and stay alive at the same time."

Clark followed quietly as she led the way down two more hallways. Lois took one last right as Clark caught up to her.

"I'm sorry, Lois," he said softly. "You're right; I just-"

"Don't wallow in it, Clark; no time for a pity party," she interrupted, still not able to look him in the eyes.

She caught his dejected expression out of the corner of her eye.

_Aw, hell._

He was not the enemy. She'd volunteered for this mission - but seeing him again, talking to him, bantering with him, it brought back memories from the past and the future - flashes of sitting in the barn, telling him to trust his gut. She could see him holding her hand in the hospital after the plane crash with his mom. Then the blasts from his eyes, eyes that held no emotion, no remorse …

It was too much. The flashes, the memories, were forcing her to deal with emotions she wasn't ready to face. She'd tried to tell the friends from the future she wasn't ready. Why did no one ever listen to her? Lois stopped and took some deep breaths.

Clark stopped as well.

"Mind not pointing that thing at me?" He interrupted her thoughts, looking at the gun in her hand.

_Unbelievable._

He was pissing her off again; looking offended and pretending that a gunshot could actually hurt him.

"God, Clark, I'm not aiming at you," she said, though the thought was becoming more tempting as every second passed. "Besides, it's only your knee cap."

"Oh, that makes me feel so much better," he responded sarcastically.

She laughed.

She didn't know why she was laughing. Clark certainly didn't expect it and wasn't even trying. He looked stunned, which only made her laugh harder. God, she had forgotten how he could make her laugh.

That thought sobered her immediately. She should not be having those kinds of thoughts; not when she was still upset with him and with this entire situation. It was _all his fault _and she needed to remember that.

Lowering her weapon, Lois continued toward Chloe's cell, walking up to the door and looking at her through the window. This was a rescue operation after all. Lois felt her anger increase as she saw Chloe looking so fragile, strapped in a chair, wearing big, brown coveralls.

"Clark, over here," she motioned for him, trying the door, but it was secure.

"The door's locked; see if you can get it opened," she whispered, remembering the guy on the other side. Clark looked at her like she was crazy. She just stared at him and motioned to the handle with her head.

"Come on, chop, chop; Chloe's in there," she said, knowing Clark would do it for Chloe. He tried to turn the handle and push on the door but nothing happened.

"Come on, Clark, this is an old building; I'm sure these things are not that sturdy," she encouraged, in case he was simply trying to hide his powers. He gave her a look but tried harder. Lois could tell he was putting effort into it, but the door wouldn't budge.

"Out of the way," she told him, raising the gun. She was surprised it had come to this, given what she knew about him. What had happened? Maybe he didn't have powers now. Oliver had never given her day-to-day specifics. In fact, he preferred not to talk about Clark's origins at all. Most of that information she got from J'onn.

Firing at the lock, she rushed past Clark as the door swung open. Her weapon raised, she called out to her cousin in relief.

"Chloe," she cried, close to tears. To have Chloe alive again made it all worth while.

"Lois, look behind you; watch out," Chloe yelled. Lois had almost forgotten about the guy behind the door but months of hand-to-hand combat had honed her skills. Zap, and he went down, the victim of his own taser.

Lois quickly ran to Chloe and began working at the arm restraints.

"Lois, how did you find me?" asked Chloe

Before Lois could respond, Chloe exclaimed, "Clark, where have you been? I've been wait-" Chloe stopped and Lois looked at her. She looked guilty that she'd almost spilled what? That she'd been waiting for Clark to rescue her? No surprise there, even if Lois didn't know about Clark's powers. Lois kept her expression blank and watched the relief on Chloe's face. Man, was she always protecting Clark? It would explain so much. Lois gave Chloe a hug with a new-found sense of understanding. She had really missed her.

"Let's get out of here," Chloe said, looking at them both.

"We need to split up," said Clark. "I have to find Oliver;" Clark gave Chloe a look that spoke volumes.

"I don't care how we get out of here as long as we do," Lois replied, moving through the door. "Let's go, you guys can catch up later."

Lois started down the hallway, but turned when she didn't hear Chloe's footsteps. There she was, standing close to Clark, with her hand on his arm. Chloe was saying something, speaking intently, but Lois couldn't hear her. Her hands itched at Chloe's proximity to Clark. If only her cousin knew ... would she see the threat? Probably not; Chloe had always been there for Clark.

In the future Lois had been optimistic but now she felt deflated. Lois couldn't support Clark any more than Chloe. What did Clark need from her? For the first time, she had the urge to run, to grab Chloe and get away from everything as fast as she could. Chloe wouldn't understand, but Lois could explain …

_You can never leave him._

When the words came, they kept playing in her head until she doubled over from the shame or frustration, she wasn't sure which one. Resting her hands on her knees she tried to get control of herself. A good soldier knew how to keep her head down, so she waited in that position until Chloe walked up to her. Finally looking up through her lashes, Lois could see her cousin's nervous expression.

"Chloe?" Lois questioned, relieved that the need to bolt had eased.

"I'm worried about Clark and Oliver. The guards had just pinpointed Oliver's location before you two busted me out. I'm afraid the guards are closing in and that they'll get the jump on those two," she said.

"Look, I know he's more comfortable with cornstalks and Jersey cows than rescue operations, but Clark can take care of himself," Lois said, shrugging slightly. "Of course, he had me watching out for him," she added. Lois thought it sounded like something her old self would say. Crap, she hated having to watch her words, especially when she knew that Clark could take care of himself.

Chloe smiled slightly and looked behind her. "I just think we should have stuck together. I mean, there's no reason we couldn't all find Oliver."

"Clark probably didn't want me seeing Oliver in his Green Arrow getup," Lois responded before looking around the corner for guards they left behind. Maybe this wasn't the best direction to be headed after all.

Glancing behind her, she caught Chloe's expression.

"What?" Lois responded, "I've known for a while, but since it wasn't my secret, I didn't say anything. I get the feeling since he's helping Clark with this prison break that you and Clark both know about him, right?"

"Right," Chloe released a breath. "So can we find Clark and Oliver?"

"All right; I'm not exactly keen on running into the guards we left behind," Lois added as she took off with Chloe, keeping the gun ready and taking the lead.

A couple of twists and turns later, Lois heard voices. She turned to Chloe and put a finger to her lips.

Chloe stopped with Lois to listen.

"It's Clark," she whispered.

Then Lois heard a louder voice.

"Oliver," she whispered back. "Let's go."

They burst through a set of swinging doors and Lois froze as she watched Clark fall to his knees, clutching at his bloody chest, a shocked look on his face. Then he collapsed, falling on his back, shaking in pain and struggling to breathe.

Chloe ran down the stairs, calling Clark's name.

Lois' mind screamed.

_No-o-o-o!_

It was Clark lying on the floor covered in blood but in Lois' memory, she was seeing Night. The pain expressed on Clark's face was the same, the same amount of blood was covering his chest, and even the arrow had pierced in exactly the same location. Lois couldn't separate Clark from Night in her mind, in her memory. Feelings of shock, guilt and remorse assaulted Lois, rooting her to the spot.

_Not this time, not again._

While her body stood rooted to the spot, her thoughts were screaming at her to move, to help, to do something. What if Clark died? Lois didn't remember any of this from her past. Of course, she'd been knocked out the last time.

Could he die without the meteor rock, the kryptonite? Lois couldn't see any of the green stone, but Clark hadn't used any abilities earlier. He looked so weak and pale. Lois didn't want to look but her eyes continued to stare.

Chloe and Oliver were working to stop the bleeding but they seemed powerless. Clark's face was growing even paler and, at one point, Chloe cried out. Lois felt her fist tighten at her side, as if she was back on the roof of the Chronicle with the meteor rock clutched in her hand.

Her body was immobile but her thoughts continued to churn. Even if he survived, what would happen? Clark didn't want her. He'd made that clear when Lana returned. Nothing seemed to have changed in that regard. Why had she let the kids talk her into coming back? This Clark hadn't lived as Night, hadn't experienced the Darkness as she had. Could she even relate to him now or deal with his secrets?

What if she couldn't separate the Clark from Night in her head and heart? Could she succeed if she couldn't forgive him? She wasn't sure she could forgive herself right now. If she couldn't, she'd be forced to re-live the Darkness, the evil, Night. If Clark died, it would be worse. She would have failed in every conceivable way.

Again, she tried to move, to go to Clark and help but her breathing turned shallow and her vision started to blacken around the edges.

_She could not fail._

It was her last thought before the room started to spin and everything went black.

_**Kent farm, next day**_

_You can never leave him._

As Lois drove up toward the Kent farm, her stomach constricted. She'd spent all of her time on the way back from Black Creek vomiting, unable to settle down once she'd regained consciousness and found Clark gone. Less than one day with Clark and she'd lost him. Now, no one knew where he was or how he was. Whether they were all seriously in the dark or simply protecting Clark's secret wasn't clear, but it was maddening.

When the farm came into view, Lois felt a sense of calm settle over her and the tightness in her stomach eased. The peace she felt was the kind that she could only get from being here. Everything looked the same. Bathed in the early morning light of the sun, the farm felt welcoming, achingly familiar and safe.

After turning off the engine, she sat behind the wheel, simply staring at the yellow house and fighting back tears. What would happen to the place if Clark died? The very thought brought back the tension and the nausea, so she leaned forward to rest her head on the steering wheel.

_Breathe._

Deep breaths seemed to help, and so she continued with a steady rhythm until the sickening feeling in her stomach passed. Lifting her head, she looked around the place again, soaking in its timeless quality with a feeling of reassurance. Deep in the recesses of her mind she could hear the voice of Mrs. Kent gently reminding her that she hadn't come here to feel sorry for herself.

"Come on, Lois, you're strong. You can do this," her quiet voice continued and, for a moment, Lois could see her red hair flashing as she worked in the flower beds along the side of the house. The shadowy reflection straightened, wiped her hands on her apron and smiled.

As the image faded, the feeling of encouragement remained. Taking one last deep breath, Lois got out of the car and closed the door. Shelby came running from the barn to greet her.

"Hey, Shelbs," Lois murmured, running her hand through the dog's soft fur, "you haven't seen your master, have you?" Shelby wagged his tail expectantly.

She blew her bangs out of eyes and sneezed. Out of habit, she glanced up at the barn window, her body growing still when she saw a familiar figure standing there.

"J'onn," she whispered to herself, in the next minute shouting his name.

"J'onn!"

Lois started running toward the barn but stopped when she saw him raise his hand in a halting motion. She waited impatiently as he turned from the window and finally walked out of the barn.

Meeting him halfway, she grabbed him by the shoulders.

"J'onn, I can't believe it's you. What are you doing here?" She asked him, the words tripping over themselves as she looked him over. He looked just like the man she'd left standing on the roof of the Chronicle.

"I'm sorry," he said, smiling slightly while eyeing Lois. "Do I know you?"

"Very funny," Lois said, punching him lightly in the shoulder. "You know me." At J'onn's quizzical look she continued. "Look, I know you can at least see yourself in my thoughts."

She saw J'onn stiffen; his look turning wary. "You have some interesting ideas about me, Miss … uhm."

"It's Lois, J'onn," Lois said, responding with some confusion. What was going on?

She looked down as Shelby butted her hand with his head. Patting the dog reflexively, she tried to collect her thoughts. J'onn was without telepathic abilities; what did that mean?

"Are you a friend of Clark's?" J'onn asked.

"Clark," Lois said, gripping her friend's shoulders tightly, this time in relief. "You've healed him and lost your powers."

J'onn pulled away at her words. "Whoa, okay Miss …"

"Lois," she reminded him, undaunted now that she'd put it together from the stories she'd coaxed out of J'onn on those long nights battling the Darkness.

"I don't know where you're getting your information from or what powers you think I possess but you have the wrong ideas about me." J'onn was as smooth as always, but Lois could see the slight wrinkle between his brows. He was worried.

_You can never leave him._

When the phrase ran through her head, Lois felt her focus return. Maybe now was time to back off with J'onn and get to the real reason she was here.

"Is Clark here?" Lois asked, watching as J'onn's expression grew guarded. She reached for his upper arm, panic starting to set in again at the echo of Rokk's words.

"I need-," she started, letting her anxiety show. "I just need to know he's all right."

J'onn patted her hand and held it gently in his for a moment. He looked behind him toward the loft.

"He'll be back to his old self in no time," he told her with a small smile, looking back into her worried face. "He's just recovering right now."

"Thank you, J'onn," Lois said softly, throwing her arms around the surprised Martian. Everything else may be messed up but at least Clark was going to be okay.

_**Daily Planet July 2008**_

The first time Lois Lane really felt like herself after being sent back in time was when she spotted the globe atop the Daily Planet. She was energized by walking through the revolving doors and by the time she got off the elevator, she was planning a future. This was what she needed, the activity, noise and smell of the Bullpen. It was her restorative.

Working as a reporter again was invigorating and within a couple of days, long hours were the norm. By the end of her fourth day, Lois was already working late. Walking back to her desk, reviewing some notes, she looked up and saw Clark sitting at the desk across from hers.

_Crap._

She'd been so caught up at work, that she had forgotten this interaction entirely. Instead of preparing for their next encounter, she'd been busy getting back to reporting.

_Not good._

She couldn't look at him; somehow she knew seeing him alive and well would send her emotions into overdrive, so she sat down at her desk and kept working.

_Maybe he'll go away._

It took only a minute before she heard the squeak of the chair as Clark started swiveling it back and forth.

She squirmed a little, not at the noise, but at the situation. Could she really go through this all again? She was never good at pretend, even as a little girl. Lois dealt in reality, and the reality was that she was not the same person she'd been the first time around.

Of course, in any time, she liked living in the now and, right now, that noise was bugging the crap out of her. Lois sighed and looked around her computer screen at Clark.

He smirked, and had the nerve to look innocent.

"Oh, I'm sorry, is this bothering you?" he asked, still swiveling in the chair.

_God, he's exasperating, even the second time around_.

She responded without thought.

"The chair or you in it?" she asked, raising her eyebrows.

His smile made her smile, even though it seemed too soon to be bantering with him so easily. She rubbed her throat, noting the lack of scars, and frowned.

"Lois," Clark's eyes dropped but his smile didn't as he stopped swiveling, leaned forward and picked up the name plate across from hers.

"I wanted to say I thought you did well in Montana," he said, looking up at her while fiddling with the name plate. "You really earned your stripes at your Dad's boot camp."

She stared at him. Years ago, he had said something similar and she had been flattered by the compliment. Now, she was dazed and … confused. Chloe must have told him that she'd passed out and done nothing to help him when he was injured. Hell, she hadn't even called him in the last four days. She'd run off after making sure he was okay, unable to deal with her emotions.

The memories alone flooded her with all the same feelings. The fear about Clark's injuries, coupled with her guilt over leaving him, and the doubt over how to handle J'onn's loss of abilities made her feel inadequate. Now with a simple compliment, Clark had her rendered speechless. She was practically choking on her emotions.

_If you make this choice … Clark needs you._

Hot tears stung her eyes. She had to get out of there now before she turned into a complete basket case. Jumping out of her chair, she turned to walk away and stumbled over the chair in her haste.

Somehow Clark caught her before she could fall on her face and steadied her with his hand on her arm. Lois gasped and swayed slightly at the touch of his hand.

Warm, so warm …

"Lois?" He questioned her.

She wasn't expecting the warmth … Night was always so cold.

A fresh onslaught of memories, this time from the future, overwhelmed her to the point that she closed her eyes in response. She thought she could shut them out that way. Instead, all she could do was feel – his touch as his hand gripped her arm, the warmth from his hand, and the heat from the rest of him as he stepped closer.

"Lois, are you okay?" Clark was starting to sound anxious. "What is it?"

His hand tightened on her arm, but it didn't hurt, just increased the heat until Lois felt it flowing from her head to her toes. It was like a switch, slowing turning off the loneliness and exchanging it with the need she felt only for him. This was the same feeling she'd had on the roof of the Chronicle, the longing for Clark to come back to himself. That's why she'd fought so hard to turn him back.

Now he was here; all she had to do was look.

Surprised by her own reluctance, Lois forced her eyes open and discovered that she couldn't resist looking at him now, at his strong face so full and tan, no longer gaunt and sallow; at his beautiful warm blue eyes which were studying her with curiosity and concern. Eventually her eyes rested on his full lips, always compelling, which were now pressed together. Clark's expressive features were merely inches away. Some part of her couldn't believe it.

"Clark?" It came out as a whispered question.

She stepped closer to his warmth and, without warning, was hit by an intense awareness. Here was the man who'd haunted her in the future, the one she'd tried to resurrect with the meteor rock. She'd failed him then but now that he was here, so close, the yearning for him was even stronger.

Such strong feelings demanded an outlet, and so Lois lifted her hands to his face, feeling the light stubble on her fingers before she pulled him down and touched her lips to his. She caught a glimpse of his surprised expression, but forgot about it the minute she felt those full, soft lips pressed against her own. She couldn't stop herself from tasting them, nipping and teasing along the edges, until they parted ever so slightly. Then she slipped her tongue inside to explore the rest of him.

Lois was lost. Clark's warm, wet mouth captivated her until she forgot everything but his taste and feel. Just when she was thinking about pulling back, Clark moved his tongue against hers and it was if she was being consumed. He responded like a man who'd never really been kissed, like a man drowning, like he could never get enough. Her body, already melting on the inside, molded itself to Clark's solid frame, her curves naturally fitting themselves to him. The heat from his body stoked the fire burning inside of her, his tongue made her tingle all over. Soon it was Lois who couldn't get enough. She wanted to burrow into him, to burn even hotter and make him burn, certain that this is what she wanted, what she needed, what she could have, if only …

A sharp pain to the temple and Lois was unexpectedly propelled to the future, where the lips she was kissing were frigid, the arms she was holding were cold, where she frantically fought to wake him up, to bring him back, wondering in the back of her mind how she'd become so desperate.

_Whoa._

_What was that?_

Lois pulled back quickly, grabbing Clark's red jacket to steady herself. Afraid to look at his face, she stared at her hands wondering why she'd thought of that moment, the one she was sure she'd thoroughly blocked. She couldn't think, couldn't breathe as feelings of desperation from two different times commingled.

"Uhm, Lois?" Clark asked, his voice sounding a little choked. He cleared his throat.

Lois closed her eyes. She was surprised he could speak; she wasn't sure she had the ability. Just as well, since she didn't have any answers for him. When the silence continued, Lois looked at Clark through heavy lashes and responded in the only way she could.

"Yes?"

Clark stared blankly at her, his breathing a little ragged, his hand still gripping her arm.

There was something in his eyes.

Looking back down, Lois realized that her hands were still gripping Clark's jacket. Of their own accord, they moved to his chest, sliding over the smooth muscles near his heart, where the arrow had pierced.

"Lois?" Clark asked again, and this time, his voice sounded little higher in octave.

"You could have died," she told him, still staring at where the wound should have been. She smoothed his shirt over the spot and felt him flinch. There was no scar.

She looked up when he didn't respond, seeing the surprise and confusion on his face. Her hands stilled and his expression changed. She realized he was waiting for the punch-line. Lois started to get irritated and it must have shown on her face.

"Uh, … I'm fine," he replied, a bit dismissively, too dismissively, as far as Lois was concerned. Didn't he care that he was shot, seriously injured, and without powers?

"You could have died," she insisted, a bit louder, drawing out the words for emphasis. He wanted answers and, for once, she couldn't run and hide. This was the best she could come up with for her sudden bout of crazy. He needed to accept it.

"I am fine," Clark responded, drawing out his words in the same way and looking even more confused by her continued concern.

Now he was pissing her off.

"YOU … COULD … HAVE … DIED ..." She emphasized each word with a jab to the chest. Couldn't he accept that she might care about that?

The surprise was clear on his face before he gave her his Kent smile. Her heart stopped. She had forgotten about that smile. Butterflies exploded in the area of her stomach and she felt something click, something familiar.

"I … AM …FI -" Lois placed her hand on his mouth. She didn't want to hear it. Truth was they could go back and forth like this all night before either would give in. This, whatever it was, was what they did and, right now, she welcomed the familiar.

"I know," she said sarcastically, removing her hand and waving it in the air dismissively. "You're fine." She took a deep breath. At least he seemed to have accepted her explanation. She turned back to her desk.

"So, why are you here, if not to remind me of our little adventure where YOU ... ALMOST … DIED?" Lois asked, looking over her shoulder to smirk in his direction, letting him know that she would get the last word.

He was staring at her, looking confused, but then he looked down and shook his head as if to clear it. When he looked back up at her, his expression was relieved. He was more comfortable on familiar ground as well.

"Right, uhm, I wanted to tell you first, since you gave me the application. You're looking at the newest recruit to the Daily Planet." He stood there staring at her, looking like a kid who wanted an approving pat on the head. Lois had to smile. Then his eyes lowered to her mouth. She gulped.

"Good for you, Smallville." She said, turning back around to look at the papers on her desk. Now her voice sounded a little high. She cleared her throat and asked him if he would be working in the mail room. She didn't need to ask but did it anyway; they both needed the distraction.

She heard the smile in his voice when he replied. "I'll be working a little closer to home. It looks like we'll be neighbors, Lane."

Lois turned toward him, relieved that he was heading for the stairs. "Think you can handle it?" she asked, without thinking, putting her hand on her hip and tilting her head. He stopped walking but didn't turn around.

_Crap._

When he didn't respond, Lois jumped in, "Well, see you Monday."

"Uhm, yeah, see you Lois." She watched from the corner of her eye as he took off, running up the stairs two at a time, like he was running from a fire. Maybe he was; heavens knew her body was still feeling the heat. She let out the breath she hadn't realized she was holding.

_You can make him see._

Lois smiled as she thought of Imra. It was a start. 


	4. Chapter 3 Plastique Planned

**CHAPTER THREE - PLASTIQUE PLANNED**

_**Metropolis, July 7, 2008**_

Lois grabbed Tommy's arm and practically pulled him up and over the fence as a blast of fire came within inches of incinerating them both.

Damn. She hated heat vision. Her first run-in with the meteor infected since coming back from the future and, of course, it had to involve heat vision.

When she landed on the other side, she surveyed her surroundings. This was the industrial park. Flat, poured concrete was everywhere; that's why the kids liked this area. It made for a great amateur skate park. Unfortunately, it didn't provide for a lot of hiding places.

Lois spotted some industrial buildings to her left. She pulled Tommy with her.

"This way!" She shouted. Tommy looked panicked.

Another blast of heat struck right before they made it to the first building. Lois tried the set of heavy metal doors but they were locked. She didn't stop. There was another building next door. Lois kept running with Tommy in tow. She heard Bette behind them.

"You sold me out Tommy," she yelled. "I trusted you and you told those bastards where to find me."

Tommy whimpered as Lois practically dragged him to the second building. One of the double metal doors was unlocked. Lois looked behind her as she pushed Tommy inside and followed, closing the door. She felt the blast of heat near her ankle and winced. That one was close.

The lock on the door was broken. She looked around for something to jam it with and found a metal pipe that looked like it was being used as a make shift lock. Lois put the pipe in place, sliding it between the two door handles, and then turned to check her surroundings.

She almost crumpled in relief. The building was concrete, the only door was metal and the windows were at least fifteen feet high. The place must have been used as a warehouse, but only a few crates remained, all positioned close to the center of the storage area.

"We should be safe in here for a while," she told Tommy, who had collapsed on the floor and was lying on his back with his arms covering his face, breathing heavily.

"I didn't think they'd go after her like that, you know," he told her quietly in between breaths. "They said they just wanted to talk to her."

"I know," Lois said, responding to the sincerity in his voice. She turned away as her conditioning kicked in and did a quick recon of the room looking for something that could be used as a weapon. The place was empty but at least it was secure.

She leaned up against one of the crates and prayed that maybe Clark or Chloe had followed Bette. Of course, she could have called for help if she hadn't left her phone in the car. How could she have been so stupid?

Lois slid down to the floor to wait, wondering if she and Tommy would both be killed this time around. Amazing how changing just a few things throughout the day had completely unraveled the past.

_Lois watched Clark walk down the stairs on his first day of work, wearing his plaid shirt un-tucked and carrying his red backpack. She had to roll her eyes. He looked like the eighteen-year-old boy whose room she had taken over almost four years ago, or seven in Lois years._

_She waited until he got to her desk before she spoke._

_"I'll give you points for punctuality, Smallville, but what's with the wardrobe malfunction?" Lois said, looking him up and down and snorting. She may not like repeating herself, but that didn't mean she was going to mess with a classic line._

_"What do you mean?" Clark asked her, looking down at his clothes. "This is a nice shirt."_

_"Human Resources is going to be down here any minute and you do not want to meet them looking like Brawny Lumberjack," Lois told him, shuddering a little. "Good thing for you I thought to bring a spare."_

_Lois walked over to Jerry's extra clothes rack and picked up the blue shirt and dark blue pants that were duplicates of the ones she'd "borrowed" from Jerry three years ago. Just yesterday, she'd decided to purchase the outfit remembering how Clark had dressed on his first day in the past._

_"That better not be mine, Lane," Jerry said looking up._

_"Never fear, I bought GQ over here his own spare," Lois said, taking the clothes off the rack and walking over to where Clark stood, looking bewildered. If she hadn't been avoiding all but phone contact, she would have taken him shopping with her, but after that kiss she didn't dare risk it. Some recovery time was needed. She was pretty sure the Legion wasn't talking about __**that**__ when they told her to "support and challenge" him._

_At least she already knew his size, and the clothes could qualify as a gift for his first day._

_"Come on," Lois said, grabbing his arm and leading him out._

_"You bought me clothes?" Clark asked. "Don't tell me I have to wear a tie-"_

_"Always dress for success. Consider it a welcome to the Planet gift," Lois responded. "No time for the men's room, you can change in here."_

_"Lois, a phone booth is not exactly private-"_

_Lois pushed the hanging clothes into Clark's chest and then pushed Clark into the phone booth, turning her back as she closed the door._

_"Just be glad it was a slow news day and I was at my desk; otherwise, you could have spent your entire career being nicknamed Flannel Man," Lois told Clark, knowing that she would never let that happen; nicknames were her prerogative._

_She'd stepped away for a minute to check her desk, when she heard him behind her._

_"How do I look?" Clark asked._

_Lois took a deep breath before turning, knowing what to expect. After all, she'd seen it all before. It didn't matter, he was still breathtaking. Against the blue of the shirt his eyes were like the sky, and his athletic build was emphasized by the cut of the shirt and slacks. He looked more mature, more like a man than the boy who had come down those stairs just minutes ago._

_No wonder she'd fallen for him in the past. When she stepped closer, her body started tingling in response. The kiss the other night affected her awareness, made her even more sensitive to his presence, if that was possible._

_The need to touch him was strong, and so she reached out to adjust his collar and smooth his shirt._

_"You look good," Lois told him, as she resisted the urge to burrow into the warmth that seemed to keep her firmly grounded to him in this time. Somehow she managed to resist kissing him as well, but then her body was forced against his when an explosion rocked the building._

_The minute she was pushed into him, arms on his chest, face inches from his, she felt her body burn. She looked at his mouth and then into his eyes. He was puzzled, by her reaction or his, she couldn't tell. As close as their bodies were, she leaned in slightly, needing to feel a little of what she felt the other night. He stepped back._

_In her head, Lois knew that a purely physical relationship was not what either of them needed, but she still felt the ache when Clark distanced himself. Somehow it felt like a rejection._

_What was she doing anyway? This was work. Lois set her expression and turned around to look into the Bullpen._

_"So much for a slow news day," she said._

_The minute her back was turned, Clark was gone._

Leaning her head forward, Lois opened her eyes and checked her watch. They'd been sitting in the warehouse for about fifteen minutes, but it felt like hours.

She pushed herself up and walked the perimeter of the concrete structure trying to stretch out her legs, which felt tight from all the running in heels. Under the windows and near the doors, she stopped, listening for any sound outside. The building felt secure but they were sitting ducks if Bette found a way in.

How had she ended up in this situation anyway? Which thread had she pulled that had unraveled these events? Clark's arrival to the Daily Planet for his first day re-played exactly as it had in the past, for the most part. Maybe it was her decision to follow Clark to the explosion site. The most significant change at the site had been her observations of Clark. Seeing him in action had been an eye-opener.

Lois stopped at the crates and leaned forward against one, resting her head on her folded arms. No wonder Rokk had told her to keep her focus. She had only tried to lend a hand and look where it got her.

_Just down the street from the paper, everything was in chaos. People were screaming, some were running, smoke and debris filled the street. Everywhere she looked reminded her of the Darkness and she felt the panic kick in. Rubbing her throat, she took deep, calming breaths while she analyzed the situation. This was not the invasion and she needed to calm down if she was going to help._

_Directly in front of her, she watched as Clark emerged from the smoke carrying a woman. Lois was struck by his confidence and strength, even when he was covered in soot. Just this vision of him took her breath away; he looked heroic. Was this side of Clark always there? Probably, but Lois knew that she often wore blinders when it came to him, so sure that she knew what he was all about. Watching him now, she could see what the Future Kids had seen._

_"Clark," Lois shouted, directing his attention to one of the medics. "Over here." As Clark came closer, Lois was surprised when she recognized the woman in Clark's arms as Tess Mercer. How had she ended up in a bus explosion?_

_Clark sat Tess on one of the stretchers and turned to Lois._

_"What are you doing here?" he asked, sounding surprised._

_"It's a public place," Lois replied, sarcasm coming naturally when she was nervous and, for some reason, seeing Clark so strong and confident made her nervous. She turned away from his exasperated look to examine Tess, who was watching them with a speculative gaze. Seeing Tess' reaction, and being aware of Tess' position at the Planet, Lois decided to give a more professional response._

_"I followed you to help you get some information for the story," Lois told him, still watching Tess. "Have you had a chance to talk to anyone about what happened?"_

_"Not yet, Lois," Clark responded, the exasperation coming through in his voice. "I've been helping people."_

_"Right," Lois said, quickly changing the subject. "By the way, why is the new head of Luthorcorp riding the bus?"_

_"Not that it's any of your business …" Tess answered calmly, apparently unruffled by the change in topic, "I'm going green; you know, doing my part to save the planet. Of course, that's off the record, Ms. Lane."_

_"Of course, Ms. Mercer," Lois said, pulling out her small notebook and getting her pen ready "Did you see anything unusual before the explosion?"_

_"No," Tess responded firmly, "and the only thing I remember after the explosion is being carried out by my rescuer … and you are?" Tess ended her question by extending her hand towards Clark and raising her brows._

_"Clark Kent," he responded, taking Tess' hand in his for a brief handshake._

_"Mr. Kent, I'm Tess Mercer, head of Luthorcorp and new manager of the Daily Planet," Tess said, her eyes lighting with recognition. "You should stop by my office later; I believe I have you on my to-do list today."_

_Lois felt herself blink at the innuendo and even Clark looked taken aback._

_"Come on, Clark," Lois tugged lightly. "Ms. Mercer doesn't know anything and we need to get some work done."_

_Clark followed Lois, glancing back at Tess when they were out of ear shot._

_"That's our new boss?" Clark asked her, raising his eyebrows._

_"Oh, please, don't go all cave man on me now, Smallville," Lois said, smirking at Clark's expression. "Wonder what she wants with you?"_

_"Why, worried she's going to boss me around more than you do?" Clark asked, smirking back._

_"Ha, ha, very funny," Lois responded. She made a waving motion with her hand toward the bus while she headed toward an older couple who looked like they needed some help. "Speaking of which, why don't you go do your thing, and I'll go do mine."_

_As Lois continued to work, separately from Clark in case he had to use her powers, she wondered what Clark would do if he knew she knew. She shook her head as she helped one of the elderly ladies on the bus over to a paramedic. He would probably freak out. He wasn't ready to trust her with that yet. She needed to earn that this time around._

_As Lois started looking for damage farther from the wreckage she heard Chloe's voice. What was Chloe doing here? Looking around, she spotted her with a younger girl, somewhat punk in appearance, who was struggling to breathe. Just then, someone brushed past Lois and she was relieved to see that it was one of the medical technicians._

_"Excuse me," he said, running over to Chloe and the girl and, for the first time, Lois caught a glimpse of his face. She stood frozen in shock. The medic was Davis Bloome, someone she had blocked from her memory, not that she had known him well. Even now, she only knew that he had stalked Chloe and eventually killed Jimmy._

_What was she supposed to do about him?_

_For a minute the weight of knowing closed in around her. One person could not change everything for the better and, yet, that's what she wanted to do. Helping Clark alone would not fix everything. There were others to consider, like Chloe and Jimmy, and no instructions-._

A noise interrupted her recollections of the morning and Lois jumped. Was Bette still outside the warehouse? Tommy sat up.

"Did you hear something?" he asked her.

Lois nodded, putting her finger to her lips. She looked up to the windows and saw movement. How had Bette managed to get up that high? There must have been more crates stacked up outside or the girl had discovered a ladder.

"Stay there," Lois told Tommy, trying to maneuver to a better location to look through the window. After only a few steps the crate beside her erupted into flames. The heat was immediate and incredible.

"Get down!" Lois shouted to Tommy, falling on her stomach and crawling over to him.

Whatever was in the crates must have been flammable because the smoke was already starting to fill the building.

"Stay low," Lois told Tommy, as she continued to crawl to the far corner of the building closest to the door. Tommy followed and they stayed in the corner with their faces on the concrete until they were both coughing and fighting for air.

Just as Lois was thinking about grabbing Tommy and making a break for it, the door opened and a tall figure stepped inside.

Clark.

"What took you so long?" Lois's quipped, anything else she might have said turning into a cough as she felt her eyes grow heavy and her memories pull her back down.

_Lois and Clark went looking for Chloe at the hospital and spotted her in the waiting room standing next to Davis, who was talking to the same girl from the explosion site. Lois wondered if this was the girl who had gone home with Chloe first time around. If so, they were in trouble._

_When Chloe looked up, Lois waved her over, while Clark explained their theory about the lack of explosives on the bus. Of course, Lois knew it was more than a theory this time. She'd watched Clark and realized he must be using his enhanced hearing to listen in on the squad's conversation. He'd probably done that the first time, too. Clever boy._

_"Do you think the girl might have seen something?" Clark asked, pointing toward Davis and the girl._

_"I don't know; Bette was pretty shaken up," Chloe told him. "Do you need to talk to her right now? I just found out she's homeless and we're trying to find her a place at a girl's home."_

_"I'm sure Clark can help Davis convince her to try the girls' home thing and still find out if she saw something," Lois suggested. "Smallville is pretty good with the kiddies."_

_Lois ignored Clark's surprised expression and, instead, gave him a small push toward the girl and Davis._

_"Go ahead and earn your rookie stripes, Clark, I need to speak to Chloe," Lois said, stepping back while Clark walked over toward Bette and the medic._

_Lois stood quiet for a moment, torn between talking to Chloe and listening to Clark's conversation with Bette. That was a name she remembered, the girl who was responsible for the first explosion and the death of a young man. Clark had written the obituary for the kid, Tommy was his name._

_"Lois," Chloe said, bringing Lois out of her thoughts, "what did you need to talk to me about?"_

_Lois turned. Chloe came first._

_"So, what's with the EMT over there?" Lois said, deciding to try a direct but non-confrontational approach._

_"Davis?" Chloe asked. "Nothing, he's just a really nice guy who's trying to help out a young homeless girl."_

_"It looked to me like he was coming on to you this morning at the explosion site, Chloe," Lois pointed out, thinking of the compliment she'd overheard earlier. "Are you interested?"_

_Chloe's look of surprise turned to irritation._

_"Lois, I know you're not happy with Jimmy right now, but he's my guy," Chloe said. "I'm not looking."_

_"Okay," Lois responded, nodding her head at Chloe and then looking toward Davis. "Then you should tell him that, not me. I get the impression he's interested in more than friendship, and I don't want you to get hurt."_

_Chloe looked skeptical, but at Lois' serious expression, she nodded._

_"I can't help looking out for you, Cuz," Lois smiled, putting her arm around Chloe, as she started walking over toward Clark and the girl. Now that she'd at least opened Chloe's eyes, she needed to stop anyone else from getting hurt today._

Her eyelids felt heavy and so Lois slowly opened them, a pounding headache revealing itself as she did. She groaned. It felt like she'd smoked ten packs of cigarettes in a single sitting. Thank goodness she'd given up that habit.

"Lois, Lois, are you okay?" She heard Chloe ask, then to someone else, "Is she all right?"

"She'll be fine, just a little smoke inhalation," Lois heard a male voice say, one that sounded familiar but that she couldn't place.

When Lois tried opening her eyes again she wished she hadn't. The blinding sun was shining directly into them.

"Ow," she said, putting her hand over her eyes. "What the hell," she added trying to sit up. Her head was pounding even harder now.

"Lois, I need you to lie back; I'm going to give you some oxygen. It should help." Whose voice was that?

Lois felt a mask touch her nose and mouth, so she breathed deeply. The pure oxygen was exhilarating after taking in the smoky, contaminated air. Then a shadow crossed in front of her and she opened her eyes to see Clark standing there.

"Are you all right?" he asked, looking troubled.

Lois pulled the oxygen away from her face.

"Where's Tommy; is he okay?" Lois asked, trying to sit up. "Did you find Bette …Wait, Bette didn't get you did she?" Lois started touching Clark's arms, neck and face, looking behind Clark at where Chloe stood with a resigned look on her face.

"Chloe, are you okay?" She asked Chloe.

Clark pushed Lois back gently onto to the gurney.

"Everyone is fine," he said, looking at Lois curiously. "Are you okay?"

Lois shrugged her shoulders. She wanted to say thanks to you but couldn't. There were a lot of things she wanted to say.

She heard the familiar voice again, "Let's take a look, shall we?"

That's when Lois saw that her paramedic was Davis Bloome. In a bit of a panic, she grabbed Clark's arm when Davis closed in with his equipment. After all, the man was a killer. Her anxiety must have shown because Clark took her hand and placed it in his own, rubbing light circles in her palm with his thumb. She could feel the warmth and, like the other night, everything seemed to focus on where Clark touched her. She was only vaguely aware of Davis checking her eyes, nose, ears and throat as her palm began to tingle under Clark's ministrations.

Because Clark was watching Davis, Lois took the opportunity to watch Clark. He was back in his plaid shirt now, having covered his new shirt in soot, but there was no sign of stress or injury. He had saved any number of people this morning and three more this afternoon, yet he looked like he'd just finished milking the cows or something. It was that crazy calm that Lois liked to challenge all the time but that she depended on at times like this.

"Everything looks good," she heard Davis tell Clark, "but she should probably go to the hospital to get checked out."

"What?" Lois asked, watching Clark nod at Davis. "No, I don't need the hospital," she said, trying to sit up and coughing as her lungs tightened with the deep breath.

"Lois, you passed out from the smoke," Chloe told her, while Clark's thumb moved to Lois' wrist and continued rubbing those light, soft circles. Her entire arm started tingling, and then he leaned forward to whisper something in her ear. With his breath so hot and tantalizing against her skin, she didn't hear a word.

"Okay," she said, a little breathlessly, too embarrassed to ask him to repeat whatever he'd said. When he gave her a Cheshire grin, she knew she was in trouble, and it was confirmed by Chloe's surprised expression.

_Uh, oh, what did I say? Oh, crap._

"I mean I don't need the hospital," Lois said pulling her arm away from Clark's hand, wondering when her body had suddenly turned traitor. The fact that her physical responses were now affecting her brain was not a good sign.

"No backing out now," Clark said, still smiling, "some of the victims from the explosion will still be there, and I'm betting you can get some more quotes while you get checked out."

Lois was still in a bewildered state when they placed her in the ambulance. At Metropolis General, she started worrying about what she had agreed to when Clark whispered in her ear. By the time she returned to the Planet, she was certain that she needed to keep Clark from touching her if she wanted to keep her sanity.

_**Daily Planet, next day**_

The next morning, Lois was still irritated at her own behavior with Clark. It didn't make her feel any better that he was right about the additional quotes from victims at the hospital. With the eyewitness statements, their story made it above the fold this time, but privately Lois wasn't about to give Clark any of the credit, not after his little stunt outside the warehouse.

She had to admit that he had good instincts, even if his writing was a little rough. Until now, she hadn't realized how threatened she had been by Clark when he started at the paper three years ago. Everything for her was a competition back then, as she tried to prove herself and to best him. This time around, Lois was comfortable with her own skills, which meant she didn't feel the need to compete. She was a news veteran now, with three years experience under her belt, comfortable with sharing the byline, despite the way Clark tricked her into going to the hospital.

Not that Clark appreciated being included as co-writer. He was still complaining about the risks involved during the investigation.

"The story took a few more twists than I would have liked," he repeated for the second time that morning, looking pointedly at Lois. "What were you thinking, going off to find Tommy by yourself? What if he'd been the meteor freak all along?"

Clark slapped his copy of the latest edition on the desk and sat down in his chair, leaning back as Lois leaned her hip against his desk.

"Oh, please, I could tell Bette was lying," Lois told him, raising her eyebrows. "I didn't just fall off the farm truck, you know."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Clark asked, managing to look little hurt and frustrated at the same time. "I thought we were working together."

"We were, and you were supposed to be keeping an eye on Bette, just in case," Lois told Clark. "Rule number six - always cover your bases."

Clark sighed, his frustrated expression turning to one of guilt. "She convinced me and Chloe that she wanted to go to the girls' home; then jumped out of the truck at the red light closest to the industrial park."

Despite her vow not to let Clark touch her, Lois couldn't resist putting her hand on his arm. She hadn't meant to make him feel guilty.

"It all turned out okay, Clark. Tommy's alive. Bette's going to get some help. No one was killed and you helped a lot of people at the explosion site," Lois told him sincerely. "It's not just about the story."

She saw the doubt in his expression and continued, "Okay, well maybe it's a little bit about the story … still, I happen to think saving people and getting to the truth is a good day's work."

Lois kept her eyes on Clark's until he nodded; at least he was considering her words.

"Just keep it up and you could have a long career ahead of you at the Daily Planet," Lois finished, removing her hand and moving around to sit at her desk, smiling at him from the other side.

Finally, Clark smiled back and she saw him pick up the paper to take a look at their story.

Lois wished she could feel as confident as she sounded. Yesterday had taken more than a few unexpected turns for her and, while she never wanted to repeat the past, she felt inundated with the number of things that needed to change. The priority was Clark, but there were others she couldn't ignore like Chloe, Jimmy, Davis, and even Oliver. How was she going to keep everything straight?

She looked over at Clark with empathy. How did he do it? Every time he decided to help he was changing someone's future, yet she knew he made those choices all the time. Her heart beat a little faster as she remembered her own save from the warehouse. She peeked through her lashes and watched as Clark read the paper, looking mature and professional in his new white dress shirt. He was definitely starting to look the part of a hero.

_**Daily Planet July 11, 2008**_

"Come on, Chloe, can you please just think about it?" Lois begged as they headed into the Bullpen after having dinner together.

"Why do you care whether I have a fall or spring wedding? You've haven't exactly been shy about expressing your objections to Jimmy since I called you about the engagement three days ago," Chloe responded, letting her irritation show.

"Hey, I know at first that I wasn't very receptive, but I was surprised by your engagement, that's all. I promise if you just give me some more time to get used to the idea, I'll help you plan the wedding of the century," Lois urged, stopping to face Chloe, ready to plaster fake enthusiasm all over her face if necessary.

"I was really thinking about an outdoor wedding, maybe in the Kent barn, and we'd need warmer weather for that," Chloe said, smiling as she looked off into the distance, dreamy expression on her face.

Lois looked over Chloe's shoulder. She could picture it as well, only she saw chaos and destruction, not the beautiful event that Chloe was probably imagining.

"Oh, no, not there," Lois exclaimed. "Don't you remember the last get-together we had in the barn? It was your birthday party, and it turned into a disaster."

"I seriously doubt that you, Lana and I are going to be possessed by sixteenth century witches at my wedding, Lois," Chloe said sarcastically.

"Well, in Smallville you never know," Lois half-smiled, walking toward her desk. "I'm sure there are other places, much less smelly places, which have some special meaning for you and Jimmy."

"A couple of other locations do come to mind," Chloe said slowly.

"Great," Lois said, sitting on the edge of her desk while keeping direct eye contact with her cousin. "Like I said, just give me some more time and I'll make this wedding spectacular." Lois kept looking at Chloe, who was giving in. Lois could feel it.

"I'll talk to Jimmy about it and get back to you," Chloe told her. "No promises, though, and I still expect you to be my merry maid of honor."

"Cross my heart, Chloe," Lois said, giving her cousin a hug, "I won't let you down."

Lois let out the breath she was holding as Chloe left the Bullpen. While she was happy about spending more time with her cousin, it was tricky and exhausting trying to persuade her to change her mind. In fact, Chloe was often just as stubborn as Lois herself.

After an hour of using her best begging techniques, Lois needed an outlet, so she sat down to work on her latest story. Banging on the computer keys was always cathartic.

About an hour later, she was stuck on a particular phrase.

"Hey, Clark, what do you think …" Lois began, looking around her monitor at the empty desk.

_What the …?_

Lois looked around the Bullpen. She'd forgotten how late it was. Still, she knew Clark wasn't there and she was talking to his empty seat. Settling into the Daily Planet without Clark as a co-worker had been easy enough but now, after only four days, the place seemed empty without him. She peered around her monitor again.

Where was squeak of the chair, the loud bang of his fingers on the keyboard, or the frustrated sigh when he was stuck on a word or phrase?

She rubbed her neck. It was just too quiet, that was all. Surely, she wasn't missing him.

The sharp, stabbing pain at her temple came as a surprise.

_No, not again_.

One of the side effects of time travel was frequent headaches. She rubbed the spot on her temple and took deep breaths, relaxing as the pain subsided. It was when she turned back to her computer that she was hit with a future memory as real as if she'd been transported to that evening.

_"Lane, get out of here," Hank Monroe, her editor, said as he stuck his dark, bearded face just inside her office door. "Otherwise, you'll never make it home before eight o'clock."_

_"On it, boss," Lois said, not looking up from her keyboard. "I just want to get these notes down about Night."_

_"If you're out after curfew, no one will get a chance to read those notes," he responded._

_Lois looked up. Hank had never sounded so concerned. She gave him her biggest smile- he was a sucker for it and had made the mistake of telling her she reminded him of his daughter when she smiled like that._

_"I'm right behind you," she said, waving him away with her hand while she turned back to her computer. "Just let me shut down."_

_Hank walked away, and she could hear him grumbling all the way down the hall about stubborn reporters and … how was he expected to run a paper on a curfew, anyway, and …no one paid him enough for this._

_She was chuckling as she finished shutting down her computer, rose from her desk and froze. Standing across from her was Clark Kent, dressed head to toe in black, wearing a completely blank expression. If she hadn't known better, she would have thought that he had amnesia for the third or fourth time._

_Her stomach dropped and her heart constricted. God, he was Night. Everything fit – the dark clothes, the blank expression. He'd injured Oliver and collected others for the Darkness. Lois couldn't take it in. What was he doing here? Oliver had said he would come for her, but she hadn't believed him. This was crazy; just because she hadn't given in to the first wave, neither had Hank. God, Hank! Lois bolted for the door; she had to help Hank!_

_Night was standing in front of her before she could reach it. She tried a roundhouse kick to the stomach, but he grabbed her ankle and held it. She tried kicking him with the other foot, and felt herself fall. He was fast and caught her, one arm under her shoulders, the other hand on her arm. Where he touched was cold, bitter cold. Lois shivered._

_His face was so close that she couldn't avoid looking into his eyes. She wished she hadn't; they were blank, empty, cold and gray. She shivered again._

_"What happened to you?" She croaked, as he stood her on her feet._

_He didn't answer, or even blink, to acknowledge her question._

_"Hey, I asked you a question," Lois shouted, getting irritated with his lack of response._

_She looked at his face. There was something in his eyes, just a flash - of recognition or emotion? It was gone; maybe she imagined it._

_Only he could make her this frightened and this irritated at the same time! She needed to get away. She looked around, but the door was blocked and the window too high._

_She started muttering to herself in frustration, and almost missed the sound of the curfew alarm. At the loud, high-pitched ringing, Night put his hands over his ears and closed his eyes with a grunt of pain. Lois didn't question her luck; she ran past him to the elevator._

Unfortunately, the memory came with emotions attached. Even after it faded, Lois felt her heart racing, heard her own short gasps of air, and felt the tightness around her heart.

Under the influence of the memory, she didn't even grab her purse before rushing to the elevator. As she hit the button, her panic eased. Reality returned slowly and she began to distinguish her surroundings from those in her memory. This was not the Chronicle but the Daily Planet. What was she running from?

Lois looked around again … no Darkness, no Night. What had brought on that memory? She didn't need to re-live her future. Clark was living in this time and he was not a threat.

With a new question came a new sense of panic. When had Clark started to succumb to the Darkness? Was his vulnerability something that happened after she left or was it happening now? Needing some answers, she pulled out her phone and hit the speed dial, holding her breath while she waited.

"Hello," she heard a sleepy voice.

"Hey, Smallville," Lois replied, feeling her panic ease at the sound of normal, if sleepy response.

"Lois, is something wrong?" He asked, sounding a little more awake. "Is Chloe okay?"

"She's fine; we just finished dinner," Lois added, starting to walk back to her desk. "I was wondering how you're doing?"

"I was doing fine before you woke me," Clark replied grumpily.

"Okay, then," Lois said brightly, her panic seeming silly now.

"Is there something troubling you, Lois?" Clark sighed.

"Uh, no; I just had a feeling, that's all," she finished lamely.

"A feeling that made you call me at ten at night?" Clark asked.

"Well, yeah; sorry." Lois replied vaguely, walking back to her desk to check her computer. She couldn't remember what she was doing before the crazy memory dream hit.

"Well, if your feeling is gone, can I go back to sleep now?" Clark asked, and Lois could hear the humor in his voice this time.

"Actually, while I have you on the line," Lois said, looking at her screen, "what do you think of this paragraph?"

For the next half hour, Lois talked to Clark about her story. When she was finished, it was late, but she felt better about the story and about her chances for getting a good night's sleep. The waking memory, or whatever it was, had spooked her. Even though the Rokk had warned her about memories and nightmares, who had memories like that? The one she'd experienced earlier was too realistic to be normal.

This time Lois packed up her things before leaving the Bullpen, throwing her purse over her shoulder as she headed for the elevator. Once she was in the parking lot, she was unlocking her the door of her red compact when the phone rang. She got behind the wheel first, then answered assuming it was Clark.

"I thought you were going back to sleep," she said.

"Uh, no, I'm losing sleep wondering what it means when your ex leaves you the message that she 'wants to kick your ass,'" a different, more sarcastic, male voice responded.

"Oliver, I'm sorry you're losing sleep," Lois laughed. "I think it means she wants to meet at the gym this weekend for a little sparring," she told him.

"Well, that's one I haven't heard before," Oliver answered, and she could hear the speculation in his voice.

"Look, Oliver, I don't want to let my defensive skills get rusty, but if you're not comfortable with this …"

"No, Lois, it's okay; I'll have the equipment up and ready."

"Great, I'll see you then," Lois disconnected while backing out of her parking place, smiling in the rearview mirror. Everything was in place and coming together, everyone important was covered, and things were going according to plan.

Now if she could get rid of those crazy memories. 


	5. Chapter 4 Toxic Two

**This Chapter is dedicated to Natty, author of Tempus, the first story that made me realize that Lois' birthday should be in August (my birthday month). She also made me realize that Lois was never given a Smallville birthday party. So here's to August birthdays and I hope you like this, Natty!**

**CHAPTER FOUR - TOXIC TWO**

_**Ace of Clubs, August 2008**_

Everything was not great. Everything was not going to plan. In fact, it was all completely screwed up.

Just a few weeks ago, Lois had tactics and strategies that were all on track. Now nothing was right, especially with Clark. They were friends and co-workers and … nothing else.

To top it off, she was waiting outside of the Ace of Clubs for Oliver so that she could attend this charity event as his date and Clark was inside with his best friend, Chloe. How messed up was that?

It wasn't as if Lois was ignoring her mission. She'd continued bantering with Clark, tried flirting with him, even given him compliments, but the man was like a rock. One problem was that she really didn't know what would work. The only two romantic relationships in Clark's life involved Lana and Alicia. Since there was no way Lois could ever act like Lana, using her as an example was out. Alicia wasn't really around enough for Lois to get an idea of what her secret was, although the thought of drugging Clark and taking him to Vegas for a quickie wedding had crossed her mind. At least she could call the mission accomplished.

Lois sighed; who was she kidding?

_It should be easier if you know it was meant to be …_

Imra's words taunted her. Was it meant to be? Lois had never believed in fate. As far as she was concerned, each person created their own. What kind of crazy fate hooked her up with Clark anyway? He was quiet, polite and mild mannered. Lois, well, she was none of those things.

So, she'd fallen subject to her impatient nature. Now, it was as if the harder she pushed, the more Clark retreated. If it was meant to be, why did Clark have to make it so difficult? He was driving her crazy.

At least she didn't have to try with Oliver. He had come on to her during their first work-out at the gym. She'd ignored him until she remembered what happened three years ago and agreed to attend tonight's event, hoping to improve the outcome of the evening.

The flash of the cameras heralded Oliver's arrival as Lois stood waiting for him on the first floor. She'd called Oliver and agreed to meet him after Tess had dumped her with a last-minute assignment. It had taken everything she had to finish it and get ready on time.

For the tropical theme, Lois had chosen a sleeveless silver blouse, with ankle length skirt black skirt, to contrast with Chloe's strapless gold dress. Evidently the theme extended to the temperature in the club as well.

"Hey there, beautiful," Oliver said, walking into the lobby next to the elevator, slowly giving Lois' an appreciate once-over. When he leaned into plant a kiss on her cheek, Lois could smell his alcohol on his breath. When he straightened, he was grinning like an idiot.

"Oliver, have you been drinking?" Lois whispered furiously. He'd promised her he wouldn't drink any alcohol tonight.

"The representative I was meeting with wanted to toast our new venture," Oliver whispered back, and Lois noticed that his words were starting to slur.

"With what, a gallon of Jack Daniels?" she asked him, grabbing him by the arm and escorting him on the elevator. By the time it opened on the top floor, beads of sweat had appeared on Oliver's lip and forehead. When Lois scooted him over to the men's room before the paparazzi could spot them, she noticed he was starting to sway.

"Wait here," she told him, shoving him through the door as his eyes were starting to glaze over. "I'll get some help." Oliver grabbed her arm before she could shut the door.

"I'm not drunk," he told her, having trouble forming the words. "I've been poisoned."

"I know," Lois told him as he staggered back and she shut the door, hurrying into the bar to find Chloe and Clark.

_**Isis Foundation, same night**_

"Look, Oliver specifically said no hospitals, and I know he had a good reason for that," Lois told Chloe and Clark, just as Clark sat Oliver on the chaise in the outer office.

"What reason?" Clark asked her, looking unconvinced.

"I don't know exactly but I think it has to do with the type of poison," Lois told him, appalled at her lack of memory about these events. "Oliver seemed to know something about it. Maybe we need to research his past?" Lois looked at Chloe.

"I'm on it," she said, "but I think we should call Davis."

"No," Lois shouted out before she could think.

"Why not?" Clark asked her, both he and Chloe looking stunned at her outburst.

"Wouldn't he be required to take Oliver to the hospital?" Lois asked. "If not, we'd still have to argue with him about it, wasting time that we could be using to find the antidote."

With a little more persuading, Lois was able to convince the two that it wasn't her hospital phobia talking and that they needed to do a little research on their own before summoning emergency personnel. While Lois settled in to watch Oliver, Chloe disappeared into the inner sanctum of the foundation to conduct her research and Clark left the building with a blood sample. Lois knew that if the poison progressed as it had last time, they had a few hours before Oliver's condition would become critical. Unfortunately, that was the extent of Lois' knowledge. For a reporter whose job was to get the details, her memory was remarkably vague; she didn't know how the poison had been administered, why Oliver was poisoned, or how to find the antidote. Round two and she was still in the dark.

At least Lois knew how to treat the fever. In the small office kitchen, she collected ice and some cold compresses and placed them strategically on Oliver's head and chest. According to the thermometer in Chloe's bathroom, Oliver's fever wasn't as high as last time but it was going to be harder to monitor without the equipment Davis provided. Lois sighed. If Oliver's condition worsened, they may have no choice but to seek Davis' help.

That's all she needed, a killer lurking around.

The throbbing pain hit her temples.

_Oh no, not now_.

With a small groan, Lois put her head in her hands and closed her eyes.

_She was walking into her small apartment, muttering to herself about the new curfew. Didn't they realize a girl needed to make a living?_

_Right now, she was working on something big, she was sure of it. Whatever had taken over in Metropolis was spreading to Star City. People were reporting a dark figure that flew through the night. If he got to you, you were never the same._

_A loud moan sounded as she turned on the light. Oliver was lying on the floor, blood everywhere._

_"Oliver?" she said, startled, running over to him. "What the hell ...?"_

_"Lois," he said weakly. "Lois, help."_

_Somehow she managed to get him to the couch. His injuries were extensive; cuts, bruises and what looked like puncture wounds in his left side. He refused to go to the hospital. Instead, he told her to call "a friend." His friend Victor was there within the hour, stitching up the wounds._

_While she helped, Lois peppered Victor with questions. To her surprise, he answered them. He told her a little about the Darkness and how humans who were infected succumbed to their darkest impulses. Evidently, Metropolis was lost despite the best efforts of fighters like he Oliver. They were both leading resistance teams in the final battle when they became separated._

_Oliver's objective in the final battle had been to take out the weapon of the Darkness, the figure in black who flew through the night. The dark figure had certain powers and Victor explained them to her. It was a wonder that Oliver had made it out of Metropolis alive after facing the weapon. The more she listened, the more she started to suspect that Victor knew this weapon. It was something in his tone of voice - fear tinged with respect and sadness._

_After a few days, Lois heard rumors that the weapon was coming to Star City. Lois worked around the clock and finally, armed with eyewitness descriptions and other information, she wrote her article naming the mysterious figure._

_Victor stayed with she and Oliver until Lois' article was finished. After that he started leaving the apartment as soon as Lois got home, returning only in the early morning hours to care for Oliver, while Lois returned to work. Lois was usually happy to get back to work, given that Oliver had withdrawn into himself, shutting out her attempts to get him to talk to her. Evidently, he was suffering emotionally as well as physically. The only time he was using more than monosyllables was when he was arguing with Victor._

_Two weeks after Lois discovered Oliver bleeding on the floor, she awakened to the raised voices of Victor and Oliver. She swung her legs over the side of the bed with a sigh and headed toward the bedroom door. Not again._

_"Damnit, Victor, he's more powerful than you, and he won't hold back!" Oliver shouted._

_"I know, but I'm the closest match. I have to try." Victor replied calmly._

_"Don't give me that crap," Oliver's response was bitter. "You're not going out there to fight him; you're trying to save him."_

_"Shouldn't I return the favor?" Victor asked quietly._

_"He's not the Boy Scout anymore, Victor; he's a ruthless killing machine."_

_"The Darkness controls him; he's not himself, Oliver," Victor argued._

_"That was his choice, he gave up!" Oliver's voice was rising._

_"He was part of the team; Clark deserves it," Victor finished with a sigh. Lois could hear Victor move to the door and open it but she couldn't respond. Clark was with the Darkness? That was impossible. She stood at the threshold to her bedroom as Victor's voice faded._

_"What about the others - Impulse, Zatana, Watchtower? They were team members, too, and they were killed because of him," Oliver spat out. "Victor, the Blur is dead."_

_Lois felt her heart stop. No, it couldn't be. Granted, she hadn't talked to him in ten months or so but the Blur seemed indestructible. What was going on?_

_"If I don't come back, take Lois and get out of here," Victor urged, his tone even more serious. "You know he'll come looking for you and for her, eventually."_

_"Why do you think I crashed here?" Oliver said with a sigh. "You be careful. We'll be gone when you get back. I agree; it's time to leave."_

_"See you, man."_

_Oliver didn't reply or, if he did, it was too low to hear. Lois stood at her bedroom door for a few minutes before she was finally able to walk toward the couch._

_"What was that all about?" Lois demanded. She was tired of Oliver being so distant and disagreeable. It was time for some answers._

_Oliver closed his eyes in frustration._

_"Let it go, Lois-" he started, but she cut him off._

_"No, Oliver," she argued. "This has been put off long enough. I heard Victor; this has something to do with the Darkness. I have a right - no, I need to know. Tell me."_

_Oliver looked her in the eyes and nodded. "Fine," he said, expression pained. "You know that character you've named Night? He's … well, he's Clark Kent." _

As with her other waking memories, Lois returned to the present slowly. Her mind took in her surroundings, but her emotions were fueled by the fear and despair she'd felt from the sting of every word Oliver had said.

She was fighting the tears when Clark entered the outer office, hair tousled and tie askew. A remote part of her brain wondered if he'd been flying.

Sensing him as he walked up behind her, she swiped at her eyes, feeling the wet that lingered. His hand landed on her shoulder.

"Lois, how's he doing?" Clark asked quietly.

Lois shook her head and moved her lips, but no sound emerged. Her fears and inadequacies were choking her and so she sat there saying nothing. When he squeezed her shoulder lightly, she wondered why she was shutting herself away.

Wasn't she supposed to be getting close to Clark?

Letting go of her vulnerabilities, she stood up and threw her arms around him. She had wanted this, more than anything, after Oliver had revealed him as Night. She had yelled at Oliver, called him a liar, tried to call Clark, threatened to go see him. She knew she was being ridiculous even then. It was her choice to separate herself from Clark; why should she care what he had become? Still, she did. He was a constant; maybe the constant in her world. She owed him, _needed_ him for that.

Clark didn't push her away this time but circled his arms lightly around her. Lois breathed deep, needing to feel his strength and draw from it. Just the feel of him was like no other. It was so natural to be in his arms and yet hugging wasn't something they did very often. She could remember vividly the few times they had - in the hospital after the second meteor shower, once after she'd split with Oliver, the other time after Lana'd left Clark her goodbye video.

"Lois," he said, his voice rumbling in her ear. "Is he all right?"

Lois nodded against his chest, not willing to let go yet.

"And you?" Clark asked; he was always good at the comfort thing. After Oliver left …

Crap, Oliver. He probably thought she was distraught over Oliver, a reasonable conclusion given that she was Oliver's date tonight. Why did she agree to that? She hadn't succeeded in keeping him from being poisoned and now Clark probably thought she was having feelings for her ex. Just something to add to all of the other bad decisions she'd made lately.

Before she could respond, Chloe interrupted.

"Clark, can I talk to you for a second?" Chloe asked softly.

Lois pulled away and nodded, staring at his chest, unable to look at his face. When he followed Chloe into the other room, Lois trailed behind, standing close so she could hear. She was tired of being out of the information loop.

Clark spoke first, "I couldn't identify the poison at the hospital."

"That's because the profile doesn't match any public data-base." Chloe responded quickly. "Oliver was stranded for two years on an uncharted island in the South Pacific. His blood contains bacteria with a similar makeup to a flower species on the island." Lois could hear paper rustling. "Here it is," Chloe finished, providing a Latin name that Lois couldn't pronounce or understand.

"I'm looking for an antidote now," Chloe continued. "Thanks to Lex's obsession with toxins and viruses, Luthorcorp has the most comprehensive collection of organic material on the planet." Lois could hear the tapping of computer keys.

"You're reading all of these, aren't you?" Clark's voice asked, sounding sullen.

There was a pause when Chloe didn't answer.

"There it is," Chloe said.

Just then, Oliver moaned and Lois walked over to check the monitors. His condition was the same. On the way back, she could hear Chloe's raised voice from across the room.

"…like it or not, I can read and process data at lightening fast speed," Chloe's voice sounded louder and Lois stopped walking.

"I know that right now you're making a list in your head of all of the possible ways this could be your fault but, please, don't," Lois heard Chloe tell Clark, followed by the slamming of a file cabinet.

Clark's voice was raised, "If this is because of Brainiac, then we don't know what could happen."

_Brainiac, what's a Brainiac?_

"Exactly," Chloe responded, her voice louder than before, "No one knows, so let's not worry about it until we have to. Clark, this is my life, and for once something good came from something horrible. I'm choosing to look at this as a gift, one that could help us save Oliver's life. Right now, I think it's time you called in a favor with your new boss."

The look on Clark's face told Lois that, as far as he was concerned, the discussion with Chloe wasn't over yet. Lois couldn't help but wonder if this had anything to do with Chloe's abduction or Jimmy's murder. It was even worse being in the dark when you knew that you _should_ know the answers.

After twenty minutes, Oliver's fever started to spike and Chloe urged her to call Davis. Lois didn't respond but kept her eyes on Oliver, her friend and fellow fighter. Even when he was being a pain in the -, he was truly one of the good guys. He would be needed if things went wrong, if she failed. They couldn't afford to lose him now. Trading out the cold compresses, she considered Chloe's comments as she pressed her lips together and waited for Clark.

"Davis can help," Chloe said again a few minutes later. "I'm going to contact him if Clark isn't back in five."

Three minutes later, Clark burst through the door.

"Use this," he said, showing them a needle filled with clear liquid. "It's the antidote."

"Most of these types of serums need to be administered in the chest," Chloe told Clark, getting up to wrap her hand around his until Clark's fingers were gripping the syringe. "I don't think Lois or I have the strength. You'll have to do it."

"Hurry," Lois told him as Oliver's body started shaking, "I think he's having a seizure."

Clark hesitated and looked at Chloe. Lois could see the question in his eyes - _are you sure?_ Chloe's nod was barely visible but it was enough. Clark leaned forward and stabbed the needle into Oliver's chest depressing the plunger until the antidote was gone. By the time he removed the needle, Oliver's eyes were open.

"Mercy, you have to find Mercy." He was barely coherent.

"What?" Clark asked him.

"Tess Mercer, Clark, please, whoever did this to me, they're going to go after her next." Oliver said, his voice rising.

"You know Tess." It was more of a statement than a question, but Lois could tell that Clark was surprised.

"There's no time," Oliver practically shouted.

"She's working late, she's at the Daily Planet," Clark muttered to himself and took off. Lois wondered if Clark would manage to save their new boss, again. She wondered, not for the first time, if she would ever get to see him in action as a hero.

"Clark will find her," Lois said to Oliver, who was still looking upset, his head thrashing on the pillow.

"Lois?" he said softly, stopping to look at her with a smile forming on his face. "No poison would dare kill me with you as the nurse." Lois noticed that his face was flushed and his words slurred. The symptoms weren't gone completely.

She smiled briefly at him and turned to Chloe, serious again. "Maybe we should call Davis now."

When Davis arrived, he performed a basic exam on Oliver and, to Lois' surprise, didn't recommend the hospital. Instead, after talking with Oliver about the history of the poison, he suggested an overnight private nurse. Lois told Chloe to call a very young, very attractive one.

"That way we can be sure he follows the instructions," Lois laughed at Oliver's chagrined expression. He was starting to look more like himself.

"No nurse could be as good as you, Legs," Oliver said seriously, putting his hand on hers. Lois gently pulled away.

"This was an emergency, Oliver," she told him seriously. "And that includes earlier in the evening. I was just helping a friend."

She waited until Oliver nodded, saddened a little by the disappointment in his face, even though she knew it was for the best. When she turned away, she caught Chloe's speculative look.

_**Daily Planet, next morning**_

"Hey, Smallville, figures this is this how Tess Mercer rewards you for saving her life - early hours and more work, huh?"

"Lois, what are you doing here?" Clark looked up, surprise clear on his face.

Lois raised her eyebrows at the question, "I work here remember?"

"I know that," Clark scowled. "What about Oliver?"

"Well, he should be home right now playing nurse with his very own, very attractive Florence Nightingale," Lois said, picking up some notes on her desk.

"Oh, I thought, I mean … I figured you would stay with him."

"I may have played nurse, Clark, but it was never going to progress to doctor," Lois stared across the desk at him. "Ollie and I were over long ago."

Lois didn't let her gaze waver as she stared into Clark's eyes.

He blinked.

"Uhm, wow, I mean, I thought that after last night …" Clark stammered.

Lois shook her head at Clark's assumption. It was reasonable but she wanted to clear it up now, for everyone's sake.

"No, at the charity event, I was just helping him out, as a friend," Lois responded firmly, knowing that Clark didn't always get subtlety.

"How can you be so sure it's over?" Clark asked her, clearly intrigued by Lois' certainty.

Lois blinked in response. How could she respond to that? There were lots of reasons, most of which she couldn't share with Clark. In the future, she'd learned a lot about Oliver that convinced her they weren't meant to be. There had been plenty of opportunities for them while fighting the Darkness but they'd kept their friendship status through it all.

"I just know he's not the one," Lois said, shuffling some more papers. It was as much of the truth as she could give him. Last night's events forced her to accept the fact that she was using Oliver for a lot of things … that she was using Oliver, period. If she was going to complete her mission it was time to be _all in_, no more back up.

"Must be nice to be so sure," she heard Clark murmur.

"It is," she responded succinctly, watching his surprised glance meet hers.

Just when she was thinking he understood more than she realized, a haunted look crossed his face. Her heart sank. Maybe Clark's resistance didn't have anything to do with Oliver.

_If it's Lana …_

Knowing that it was best if Clark got off that roller coaster now, Lois told him, "You should try it sometime."

Clark looked doubtful and then smiled his Kent smile. It rocked Lois to the core and she promptly sat down, weak in the knees. He really needed to stop doing that. Who could resist that smile?

It took her a few minutes to collect her thoughts after her body's reaction to him. When she did, she looked across the desk at the determined expression Clark wore when he was working. _All in,_ how would it be with someone like Clark?

Her body shivered at the thought.

One thing was certain; she needed a better understanding of his world. Thinking over the events of last night, she turned on her computer and typed in "Brainiac."

_**Metropolis, One Week Later**_

"Happy Birthday, Legs," Oliver greeted Lois with a hug, a beer, and small gift-wrapped box.

"Oliver Queen, what brings you to my party?" Lois asked loudly, trying to talk over the noise of the local bar. "I thought you'd still be battling the paper over that piece of fiction they printed about you … or be off somewhere drowning your sorrows."

"Ouch, maybe I should take my gift back," Oliver said, nodding to Chloe and Jimmy, who were seated at the bar next to Lois. Lois snatched her hand away as Oliver reached for the brightly-wrapped package.

"Don't be such a spoil sport," Lois said, ripping in to the gift. "Thanks for the present."

"It's nothing, the least I could do after you nursed me back to health," Oliver replied, taking a sip of his own beer.

"I didn't do anything," Lois told him, opening the box. "Chloe and Clark found the antidote." She looked inside at the high-tech flashlight keychain, complete with safety alarm, and pulled it out of the box.

"Oliver, you shouldn't have," Lois said, raising her eyebrows at Chloe and Jimmy, who were attempting to stifle their laughter.

"With you, Lois, it's safety first," Oliver said, toasting her with his beer and smirking. She handed the keychain to Jimmy for examination and when she turned back she caught the Oliver's stiff body posture, his earlier expression replaced by a decidedly wary one.

By following Oliver's gaze, Lois was able to spot Clark standing by the door, still in his work attire. She watched as he looked around, his eyes resting on Oliver, and he froze. Clark looked uncomfortable and for a minute she was sure she saw a touch of guilt in his eyes. A traffic jam developed as patrons tried to move around Clark to get in and out of the door. He was like a brick wall.

_What's going on?_

"Clark's here," Lois shouted to Chloe and Jimmy, deciding to ignore the tension. She moved to make her way through the crowd to grab Clark's arm. Her touch seemed to break the spell and he looked down at her.

"Hey, it's supposed to be a party, Smallville. Turn that frown upside down," Lois yelled at him over the noise of the bar. He smiled a little and handed Lois a small box.

"Happy birthday, Lois," Clark told her loudly, speaking up to be heard.

She held the box tightly to her as she dragged Clark back to the bar to rip into the present. Everyone was quiet until she opened the box and pulled out the gift. Then Jimmy and Chloe couldn't contain their laughter. Even Oliver chuckled.

It was another high-tech flashlight keychain with safety alarm. Lois raised her eyebrows at Clark, who managed to look sheepish.

"You do work awfully late, Lois," he told her in all sincerity. "I thought you could use some additional protection."

"Thanks, Clark; safety first," Lois said, trying not to roll her eyes. She started to punch Clark in the arm but then thought better of it and gave him a hug. She grabbed the other keychain back from Jimmy, who was playing with the flashlight, and tried to ignore Clark's surprised look as she placed both in her purse. Oh, well, that's what she got for hanging out with protector types.

"Sorry I don't have a gift for you to open," Chloe told Lois. "Your gift from me is your maid of honor dress, shoes, flowers, and all that. Weddings are expensive."

"No problem, Cuz, I'm just glad you've decided on a winter wedding," Lois told her sincerely. It had taken all of Lois' skills but she had managed to get Chloe to change both the date and the location of the blessed event. She just hoped it would be enough to change the outcome as well.

"Tell me what I need to do to help and I'll take care of it, when it's not my birthday, of course," Lois said, swinging her beer toward Chloe's for a toast.

Chloe narrowed her eyes at Lois with a rueful smile and a shake of her head. "I'll schedule an appointment."

Stepping back, Lois careened into Clark, who steadied her with his hands while she leaned in to talk to Jimmy.

"Jimmy, a winter wedding is a great idea, a chance to start the new year fresh," Lois shouted, patting him on the back. "Take advantage of that," she added, watching as Jimmy sidled closer to Chloe.

"S-sure, Lois," he replied nervously. "Thanks."

Lois chuckled to herself at Jimmy's display of nerves. Good, she was still keeping him on his toes. He deserved it for being tricked into working for Lex. Then her heart fell as she remembered events from the future. Jimmy didn't deserve to die the way he did.

For a minute, the weight of her responsibilities hit her and Lois felt the fear of history repeating itself. She tried to brush the feelings aside for tonight. For her birthday she wanted to have fun, forgetting missions, the Darkness and danger.

When Oliver was the first one to leave her little party, Lois breathed a sigh of relief. He'd been tense all night. Whatever was going on with Clark was serious. Both of them had been unusually quiet and the tension in the air had put a serious damper on the party.

"You know you're always welcome to crash at my place," Oliver told Lois on the way out, brushing her bangs out of her face and looking over to Clark, who stood talking to Jimmy at the bar.

"I might take you up on that someday, as a friend," Lois emphasized, blowing at her bangs and patting Oliver on his cheek. "Don't forget I'm kicking your ass again next Thursday," she reminded him with a smile.

Oliver shook his head with a resigned look and headed for the door. Lois noticed that he didn't say goodbye to Clark on the way out. However, Clark watched Oliver as he made his way across the bar, regret and guilt returning to his features.

Looking at Clark's expression, Lois could see a brooding session coming. It was time for an intervention. Today was her birthday and she wanted everyone to have fun. Squaring her shoulders, Lois walked up to Clark at the bar.

"Let's dance," she said, putting her hands on his arms and trying to drag him out onto the floor. It was like trying to move a rock.

"You just want to make fun of my dancing skills," he said to Lois, shaking his head in the negative.

"What skills?" She commented, laughing. When Clark raised his brows, she stopped and pulled on his arms.

"Come on, it's my birthday and I'll dance if I want to," she half-sang, sliding her hands down his forearms to tug his hands. He rolled his eyes at her singing, resisted for a minute and they engaged in a playful tug-of-war before Clark let her lead him to the dance floor. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Chloe and Jimmy looking on with interest and then following them.

She watched as Chloe and Jimmy pulled each other close and hesitated as the song changed to a slow rhythm. Tentatively, Lois put her hands on Clark's arms and waited, continuing to look over Clark's shoulder at her cousin who was talking and laughing with her fiance. A twinge near her heart made her realize that she was jealous of the ease Chloe had with Jimmy. When Clark's arms closed around her, Lois looked up at his facial expression. She wondered if that kind of easy relationship was what he wanted. She couldn't tell from his expression because he was staring off into the distance.

Frustrated by his stoicism and fueled by the alcohol and that little lingering twinge, she let her hands slide to Clark's shoulders and used them to pull her mouth up close to his ear.

"Lighten up, Smallville," she told him. "We're supposed to be having fun."

Her feminine senses thrilled at the shiver she felt go through his body, and she purposefully pressed against him as she slid back down onto her heels. Rokk had told her that her that with the process of sending her thoughts back, certain protections would be put into place so that her mind couldn't be tampered with. She wondered if those were designed to protect her from intoxication. If so, she wasn't sure they weren't working. It must be the alcohol because she'd never been so bold as to tease Clark like this before. Still she couldn't resist peeking through her lashes to gauge his reaction.

He was looking at her now, eyes darkened and narrowed. She gulped as a slow smile appeared on his face and she quickly lowered her gaze to his shirt, a little embarrassed at Clark's confident response. Her body shivered from the intensity of Clark's gaze and he pulled her closer. The heat from his body, along with the slower tune, soothed her nerves and she felt her eyes slowly close … and pop open the minute she felt Clark's breath on her ear.

"Oh, I am having fun," he whispered, and Lois' knees buckled.

What had she started?

Whatever it was kept the party going into the late night hours. As Lois stood on stage, singing karaoke with a reluctant Chloe, she couldn't take her eyes off of Clark.

_She says, We've got to hold on to what we've got  
>'Cause it doesn't make a difference<br>If we make it or not  
>We've got each other and that's a lot<br>For love - we'll give it a shot_

Nothing appeared different; he had the same dark hair and blue eyes, the same full lips and athletic body. He was the same decent, hardworking brooder, but he wasn't brooding any more. He was more relaxed and she liked it. It surprised her to know how much she wanted him to be this way, to feel this way, without the weight of the world on his shoulders. It was as if a weight was lifted from her own.

_Whoa, we're half way there  
>Whoa, livin' on a prayer<br>Take my hand and we'll make it - I swear  
>Whoa, livin' on a prayer<em>

As she and Chloe belted out the chorus, Lois caught Clark's eyes and felt her face flush at his expression. The affection mixed with amusement she saw heated her from the inside, made her feel warm all over and, for just a minute, the lyrics of one of her favorite songs took on new meaning. Maybe she was starting to make some progress after all.

_Whoa, we're half way there …_

After her little party ended, while walking back to the Daily Planet with Clark, Lois was feeling the same warmth from earlier and she smiled to herself.

"If I didn't know better, Smallville, I would almost think that you know how to have good time," Lois told him, needing to fill the silence and distract her wayward thoughts. Thinking about his breath on her ear made her shiver.

_Damn traitorous body_.

"Gee, thanks Lois," Clark replied sarcastically, looking straight ahead while he continued walking.

As his silence continued, Lois continued to watch his profile. Something was different. As soon as they left the bar, Clark's demeanor changed again. Now his was brooding. Her mind reviewed the events of the evening - he wasn't upset with her condition, only amused, and he seemed okay with the dancing, more than okay, actually -

"So what's up with you and Oliver?" Lois asked him.

When he flinched she knew that she'd hit the nail on the proverbial head.

He didn't respond.

"Come on, Clark, you can tell me," Lois said. "I promise I won't take sides."

Clark stopped and ran his hands through his hair.

"I found out something … something about Oliver's family and I didn't tell him. He discovered it anyway and now he's angry," Clark told her, looking glumly at the sidewalk as turned and continued to walk.

"Why did you keep this information from him?" Lois asked, glancing at Clark out of the corner of her eye.

"I don't know," Clark sighed. "I guess I was worried about how he would react. I didn't want him to do anything stupid," Clark told her, as he stopped and looked up toward the globe at the top of the Planet.

Lois stopped and looked as well, first at the globe and then at Clark.

"So you didn't trust him?" Lois suggested.

"What?" Clark responded in astonishment. "No, that's not it." Clark stammered. "I was trying to protect him."

"Protect him?" Lois snorted. "You just didn't trust him to make his own decisions."

Clark took a step closer, his face cloudy, "I thought you said you weren't going to take sides?"

"I'm not. This is Oliver talking. I'm pretty sure this is how he sees it," Lois said, taking a step closer herself and narrowing her eyes at him.

"Then you are taking sides!" Clark said, raising his voice.

"No, no, no, I'm just trying to get you to _see_ the other side. Oliver thinks you hid the truth because you don't trust him, Clark. He feels betrayed," Lois continued.

Clark put his hands in his pockets in frustration, walking over to the after-hours door.

Lois followed, trying to ignore the memory of her last argument with Oliver, when she was trying to protect Clark and, in some ways, Oliver himself. He was stubborn, impetuous and unpredictable. Maybe that's why they got along so well and why Lois could understand Oliver's point of view.

When she reached the door, Lois put her hand on Clark's arm and felt the sharp pain in her temple that preceded either a headache or a memory.

_Crap, not again._

Lois gripped Clark's arm tight. It wasn't a headache but the memory she was trying to ignore earlier springing to the surface.

_"He needs to be taken down, damnit!" Oliver yelled at her for the third time, as they were getting ready for what they hoped would be their final confrontation with Night._

_"Ollie, you know that we could use his abilities. If he could be turned-"_

_"What makes you think you can turn him? We've all tried and failed, even Chloe and Lana. Hell, Chloe died trying to turn him."_

_And there it was. The real reason Oliver couldn't forgive Night. Despite Oliver's efforts and their romantic relationship, Chloe had followed Clark rather than him. Her loyalty to Clark had resulted in her submission to the dark side, which had ultimately led to her death. Lois was never sure if Oliver blamed Night or himself more._

_"What makes you think you …" Oliver continued, trailing off as his eyes narrowed at her expression. "Unless you know something I don't know. Did something happen-"_

_"That's enough, Oliver. Now get into position; this will work."_

_"Is that an order?" Oliver asked her sullenly._

Lois shuddered as her thoughts cleared. At least it hadn't been a lengthy memory. Still, she could hear the concern in Clark's voice.

"Lois … Lois, are you all right?"

When she didn't respond, his free hand moved under her chin, forcing it up. "Lois, look at me."

Trying to focus quickly and squelch the emotions that came with the memory, she smiled in an effort to ease his apprehension.

"I'm fine Clark," she told him. "I just zoned out for a minute. Maybe I had a teensy, weensy too much to drink?" Lois used her thumb and forefinger to illustrate.

Clark raised his brows but before he could respond, a feeling of intense fear rose to the surface. She gripped Clark's arm tighter and he stopped, waiting for her to speak. Following her argument with Oliver, he had managed to get his way in the end and Clark had suffered for it.

"I understand why you did it, Clark. Oliver can be unpredictable, but if you trust him you need to tell him-" Lois started, an edge to her voice.

As Clark opened his mouth to speak, but Lois couldn't stop herself from interrupting when a new thought hit her.

"Or, better yet, do something to show him that you trust him ..."

Lois watched as Clark leaned forward this time, opening his mouth again.

"Or, you could do both," Lois continued, on a roll now, "apologize and do something nice." She stopped and smiled at him in anticipation, proud of her own cleverness.

"Are you done?" Clark asked with an exasperated expression on his face.

Lois nodded, confused by his lack of enthusiasm.

Clark continued, shaking his head with a superior smile, "Thanks for the advice, Lois, but I'm not sending Oliver flowers or candy."

In a huff, Lois turned and walked into the building, tripping slightly over the threshold, huffing again at Clark's chuckle. He should be more appreciative of her good, solid advice. Granted, she wasn't Dr. Phil, especially with a few beers in her, but usually knowing the right thing to say was easy with him.

_It should be easier if you know it was meant to be …_

Easier, when did Lois do anything the easier way? By nature she was pushy, she knew that, but it was because Lanes didn't do things halfway. The General never lived by the motto _step back and let life develop at its own pace_. Instead, he was all about moving forward and making progress.

_Battle ready …_

_Prepare for every eventuality …_

Those were words you lived by in the Lane household. The General would never rely on the fact that it was _meant to be_. As Lois stopped on the other side of the door, she steadied herself and considered Imra's words.

"Do you believe in destiny?" Lois blurted out as Clark turned to face her after closing the door. Immediately she gave herself a mental slap as she started to rub her throat. What was she thinking?

Expecting him to laugh, Lois was stunned when Clark's bitter gaze slammed into to hers and held. His eyes narrowed and she shivered.

"No," he said, taking her arm, pulling it down and practically dragging her through the hall toward the parking garage exit.

"Why not?" Lois said trying to keep up and not stumble over her feet. She failed miserably and crashed into Clark, who turned and caught her up against his chest. It was like the bus explosion all over again and, as Lois leaned in, Clark stepped back, holding her in place with both hands.

"Why not?" Lois repeated softly and wondered what she was asking, as his distance hit her like a rejection.

Clark looked exasperated, and whether it was at the question or at her, Lois wasn't sure.

"Destiny is just another word for having no choice," he said tersely, removing one hand from her arm and running it through his hair. "Everyone should have options."

"But we don't always, do we?" Lois whispered, hearing the slur in her words.

Clark must have caught her inebriated tone as well because he relaxed and turned her back toward the garage, pushing her lightly in front of him.

"Well, for tonight, you don't have any choice, not in your condition," he said lightly. "I'm driving you home."

Settled in the passenger seat of the truck, Lois turned sideways and rested her head on the seat, studying Clark's profile while he watched the road. She considered his strong reaction to her question about destiny. It was rare that he displayed negative emotions about anything. What had happened to garner such resentment from her mild-mannered co-worker?

It hit her that if he knew about her mission, he would hate it, try to talk her out of it, fight to give her alternatives. He would try to protect her as he had Oliver; that's what he did.

Now it was her turn to protect him. Didn't he deserve the same from her? She thought about how relaxed and happy he'd looked tonight. She wanted to give him that. Maybe she should back off, pull back on the attack, so to speak. He should be given choices and if he didn't want her … she would continue to support him in the best way she knew how.

_It should be easier if you know it was meant to be … _

Easy for Imra to say.

Lois felt her eyes grow heavy as she let the effects of the alcohol lull her to sleep. Tomorrow she should reconsider her strategy. Clark deserved it. 


	6. Chapter 5 Instinct Intervention

**CHAPTER 5 - INSTINCT INTERVENTION**

_**Smallville, two weeks later**_

Nothing good ever came from driving the back roads of Smallville at night, at least not for Lois. She'd almost been run off the road by a lightning strike, hit Shelby with her car, nearly missed at least two different cows and a tractor, and now she was blinded by some kind of column of light coming from the Luthor mansion.

What was going on? The light looked alien somehow and Lois felt her insides tighten as she thought about how interested Tess had been in Clark since he'd rescued her. What was she doing and with what; was it leftovers from Lex? The light was blinding.

Calling Clark was out of the question. She was still backing off, giving him space. Of course, if Clark noticed, he didn't let it show; things were status quo as far as he was concerned.

For Lois, the stress caused by her withdrawal was a revelation. Her concentration was negligible, sleep was elusive, and her moods - Chloe had threatened to kick her out. After a few days, Lois had to admit that she missed Clark more than ever before, which was saying a lot after all her time observing Night while praying for Clark to return to himself.

_Are you Lois Lane?_

Garth's words nagged at her because reliving her life was starting to give her doubts. Inside, she knew she was still Lois Lane, reporter and General's daughter, but how was she supposed incorporate who she was with what the Legion had sent her back to do? Already things were changing, and the shift in her focus from work driven to Clark driven was throwing her off-kilter.

Was that the real reason she was letting this light bother her; was she looking for an excuse to call Clark? She shook her head and let up on the gas pedal. No, something wasn't right. She could feel it in her gut and her gut was never wrong. Lois Lane never ignored her gut.

As Lois drove closer, the blue light became even more blinding, so that she was forced to avert her eyes. Her notes, strewn all over the passenger seat of the car, caught her eye. Maybe it was time for a late-night visit from an employee. Lois made a sharp left as she continued driving toward the mansion, a plan forming in her already tired brain.

_**Daily Planet, next day**_

Lois walked down the stairs, blowing her bangs in annoyance, reading the newest project she'd inherited. Evidently, Tess didn't appreciate late-night visits from her employees. Now Lois had three stories to finish and no help thanks to her "Give Clark Some Space" plan.

Forget destiny. Lois hit the speed dial.

"Lois?" Clark answered.

"I need you Smallville," she said, brushing off the way that came out. Desperate times and all that, "I just got to the Planet and I'm already having the work day from hell. What's your E.T.A?"

"I'm flying into the building right now; I'll be there in a second," he said, and Lois was sure that she'd heard the swishing sound from his speed. Was he literally flying?

_Whoa._

Oliver had never mentioned him flying before but she assumed he could since Night flew but, well … she didn't want to think about that.

When Lois got to her desk, phone still to her ear, Clark wasn't at his.

"Hey, I thought you said you were coming in for a landing, what happened? Run into some turbulence?" she said into the phone, turning around and bumping right into Clark.

"According the clock I'm still two min-"

"Hey there, flyboy, watch the landing." Lois said at the same time, interrupting Clark. She stumbled back a little.

"Sorry," Clark said, reaching out to steady her. "Now what's so urgent that you actually broke down and called me?" He asked, sounding curious and just a bit bitter.

Lois found herself staring at his chest, while her arms were absorbing the warmth from his hands. She was so distracted that it took a minute for his words to sink in but, when they did, she lifted her eyes to his. Maybe he hadn't been so oblivious to her backing off after all. Before her birthday, she'd called Clark regularly but she'd stopped once she'd decided to give him space. Her eyes searched his for signs that he'd missed her, but all she saw was that impassive look. Maybe she'd read it wrong.

"I was hoping you could take on some of my work load; this is my fourth cup of java and I'm still not firing on all cylinders," Lois said quickly, pulling away and walking over to the coffee machine.

"Rough night of sleep?" Clark asked.

"Try no night of sleep. I kind of got caught up in some work," Lois started, not wanting to go into a lot of detail about her late-night visit to the boss, "and Jimmy moved in so he and Chloe could save some wedding pennies." Lois winced, "The groom snores like a freight train."

Lois had been regretting her decision to distance herself from Clark and last night had just added to her discomfort. After all, anything could happen to him without her around. The blue light was just one example. It was dangerous to Clark somehow, she knew it. In her mind, it related to him and not in a good way.

During the long hours awake she'd also begun to realize that she couldn't give Clark a choice if he didn't know what the options were. By playing the friendship card, Lois wasn't really letting him know that something else was available.

_He needs you._

Those words from Imra had planted an idea in her sleep-deprived brain, one that seemed overly bold in the light of day. Even though she'd had the guts to mention it before, she hadn't followed through. If he took her up on it this time … she took a deep breath and looked at Clark while stirring her coffee.

"You know, it must be nice for you in that Kent farm house all by yourself, so quiet and so many empty rooms," Lois commented, sneaking a look at Clark's face through her lashes.

"It is pretty quiet." Clark said, his expression dejected.

"You are so predictable," Lois harrumphed, her lack of sleep fueling her frustration. The man just couldn't take a hint. If it would make a dent, she'd hit him over the head with a crowbar.

Of course, in her exhausted state, her first reaction was to lash out. After all, he might have mentioned missing her just a little. "I mention one little thing about the big empty farmhouse and you start singing the _Lana blues_."

Lois walked over to the file cabinet for some research as Clark followed, eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Look, I hate to be the one to dish out the tough love, but Lana is gone. She left you a "Dear John" DVD, for goodness sakes! Maybe it's time for you to move on, get outside your wheelhouse," Lois told him, slamming the cabinet drawer and facing him, letting her frustration show.

"I have a wheelhouse?" Clark asked, managing to look surprised and troubled at the same time.

"Of course you do - pretty, friendly, damsel in distressy," Lois finished, relaxing at his expression; she couldn't resist smirking at him. "Maybe it's time you tried something a little less sweet vanilla and a little more wild cherry." Normally Lois hated repeating herself but she was feeling the lack of sleep and, besides, it was hard to top that one.

Predictably, Clark rolled his eyes.

"Let's get to the work," he suggested, walking over to her desk.

"Fine," Lois said, following Clark and grabbing an assignment. She handed it to him without looking.

Clark flipped through the report. "How does a twenty-five year old suddenly die of a heart attack?" He asked her, raising his eyes.

"What?" Lois asked, sorting through the other assignments on her desk. Clark stepped closer to Lois, continuing to read.

"The coroner says the endorphin levels in his blood were sky high."

"Yeah, well, doesn't take much imagination to figure out what he was doing," Lois said absentmindedly, reviewing the oldest one of her assignments. She could probably get this one wrapped up in a few hours. Of course she'd have to use one of her access cards-

"What do you mean?" Clark asked, interrupting Lois' train of thought.

"Come on, Clark," Lois responded, exasperated that they were still talking. How was she supposed to get her own work done if he was still here? "You know what endorphins are, right?"

"Yes, they're hormones that are released when you play a sport."

Lois dropped her own paperwork and turned to face Clark, frustrated that he wasn't getting the point. This was obviously a straight-forward case.

"Or, there's another type of activity, repetitive motion, builds to a climax …" Lois said as his eyes widened, while her words drifted off. She felt her face flushing.

There was something in his eyes. He looked almost … considering, not embarrassed or mocking like he would be normally. As his eyes lowered to her mouth, she was thrown by his reaction and her hand idly reached for her throat. Her discomfort increased when Clark reached out to cover her hand with his own, stopping hers in mid-air.

The minute Lois felt his touch, her mind flashed and she could see it - she and Clark, tangled sheets, whispers and touches - repetitive motion. She gasped and pulled her hand away. Some part of her had become accustomed to the flashes of memory but that was no memory. When had her imagination become so vivid?

"Lois?" Clark asked and Lois couldn't tell if he was asking for permission or forgiveness. Her body heated as she considered his now flushed face and wide eyes.

"Let me see that," Lois said, frightened by the strength of her reaction and the evidence of his. Trying to stop herself from kissing him right there in the Bullpen, she snatched the report from Clark. He let it go, absorbed in his own thoughts. Focusing on the words of the coroner helped distract Lois and her brain slowly started to function again. Something was familiar about this.

"It says here that the victim was fully clothed and that his endorphins were through the roof," Lois told Clark after a minute, her memory nagging her. "I think I'll give you some help with this one, Clark. There's something more going on here. Besides, I know the cops who work this area."

As Lois grabbed her purse to follow Clark out of the Bullpen, she tried to push aside the visions of tangled sheets and focus on this story from three years ago. This time, she had a flash of Clark up against the elevator wall, shirt open, naked chest …

_Okay, not helping_.

She racked her brain but couldn't remember much more, other than the shrew who was kissing Clark later throwing Lois' car across the street with Lois in it.

How could she have forgotten so much about this case? Seriously, time travel must have given her brain damage. First, Davis snuck up on her, then Oliver was poisoned, and now this. Of course there was no article to help her jog her memory because the man-eater had disappeared; no suspect, no story.

Even more disturbing was the fact that Clark was in danger. First, there was the familiar-looking blue crystal that Lois had glimpsed after storming into the study at the mansion. Her mind had pictured Clark the minute she'd seen it. Now there was the crazy creature with the killer kiss.

Maybe she should warn him, but about which one, and how?

"Clark, do you know why Tess would be messing around with a blue crystal?" Lois asked.

_Subtle, Lane_.

"What?" Clark asked.

"Well, last night, I was driving home and saw this strange blue light shooting through the sky from the mansion, so I, uhm, went to see Tess," Lois was feeling less than confident about this part of the story. "I told her I needed to talk about a story. Anyway, I saw her with this blue crystal thing - do you think it could have been making the light?" Lois was on a roll now. "And why would she have such a thing? It must have a lot of power to produce such a strong beam."

"Whoa, Lois," Clark stopped walking and held up his hands. "Why are you interested? You aren't investigating Luthorcorp again are you?

"No, I'm just curious about Tess and whether she's following in the Luthor tradition. I'm not sure even Lex conducted experiments at the mansion," Lois said, exasperated that she couldn't tell him about her suspicions.

"The crystal looked so familiar," Lois was muttering to herself by the end of her answer to Clark.

Clark stopped walking so suddenly that Lois passed him before she realized he wasn't with her anymore. She turned and looked at him. His expression was clearly confused and a little … scared.

"Why did it look familiar?" Clark asked her.

"What?" Lois responded distractedly. She was trying to remember where she'd seen it before.

"What makes you think you've seen the crystal before?" Clark asked, his fear showing a little more clearly.

"I don't know," Lois said, trying to picture it in her mind. She could see Clark in her memory and he was holding the crystal but nothing else was visible.

Clark was staring at her as if he was trying to read her thoughts. Before her expression could reveal anything, Lois turned around and started walking. She probably needed to be more careful about revealing things from the future, but it was difficult when Clark's life could be in danger. That crystal gave her a bad vibe.

She needed help; someone other than Chloe who had her own issues to deal with. Lois smiled to herself as she spotted the police officers up ahead. There might be someone else. Another plan started taking shape in her head as she walked forward to interview the officers, while Clark went to check out the scene.

"What did the police say?" Clark asked her quietly after she followed him to the scene. He seemed lost in thought; she wondered if he was thinking of the blue crystal.

"They found evidence of a fire in the alley, but they suspect it's unrelated," Lois told him.

Clark turned to her. "Then there was no reason for us to come down here?"

Now she could tell he was distracted; she looked at the burn mark and paused.

"Classic rookie mistake, Smallville," Lois lectured him. "The scorch mark is pretty unusual for a homeless hoedown, but if we ask around, someone may have seen something," Lois wondered why she hadn't noticed the unique pattern on the pavement last time around.

Clark didn't follow Lois as she walked out to get the additional interviews. She turned, and saw him staring at the scorch mark on the ground. She'd seen that look before; he was using his x-ray vision. What was he seeing?

She turned back and saw her friend Tom Allen, a new detective with homicide.

"Hey, Lane, you coming to the poker game tonight?" He asked.

"Why, they give you a pay raise with the detective badge?" Lois smirked at Tom; he was a terrible poker player. "Wait a minute, why are you here?"

"Three more young guys turned up dead between here and Smallville, all of them looking like heart attacks," Tom said quietly. "Don't bug me for the names, though, we're still trying to notify the families."

"No problem, Tom, thanks," Lois said, turning around to find Clark and tell him.

"See you tonight," he answered, as she walked away.

Lois waved a hand over her head as she walked toward Clark.

"This story just got bigger," she told him. "Looks like a string of young men turned up dead between here and Smallville, all of them apparent heart attacks. Do you think we have a meteor freak on our hands?" Lois asked Clark.

Clark looked confused. "I'm not sure, Lois."

"What else could it be?" She asked him.

"I don't know," Clark responded, but he sounded hesitant.

"Let's go see what else we can find out," Lois said, wanting to keep Clark away from that creature this time. She was going to stick to him like glue.

She lost him within the hour.

_Damn flight_.

He disappeared from the Daily Planet while she'd been talking on the phone to the Smallville Sheriff's office. Clark told her he would be searching for similar crimes or suspects in archives. By the time Lois finished, Clark was nowhere near the archives and she couldn't find him anywhere else, either.

He must know more about this than he was letting on. If the killer wasn't a meteor freak, what was she? At least Lois knew the suspect was a _she_. Where would Clark go if he suspected or knew more? She punched in Clark's number on her speed dial and listened as it went to voicemail. She hung up and hit Chloe's number. When Chloe answered, there was a smirk in her voice.

"Lois?" she asked. "What can I do for you?"

_Oh, she knows Clark's in trouble._

Lois could hear the sarcasm in Chloe's voice.

"Is Clark with you?" Lois asked abruptly, her patience wearing thin. She was still behind on two stories and now she had to babysit her co-worker.

"Sure, he's right here; do you want to talk to him?"

Lois could almost see Clark in the background shaking his head at Chloe and mouthing, "No."

She smiled.

"I would love to, thank you." She told Chloe sweetly and she could hear Chloe's laughter fade as she handed the phone to Clark.

"Lois?' Clark asked.

"I thought we were working on this story together, Smallville," Lois accused.

"Uhm, we are, I just needed something else from Chloe," he said, sounding vague.

"Oh, like information on this female meteor freak, who may not be a meteor freak?" Lois asked smartly.

"No, actually, like information on Tess and the crystal," Clark said, sounding serious.

"Really?" Lois felt such a sense of relief that she didn't call him on his disappearing act. "What did she say?"

"Here, she'll tell you," Clark responded, and Lois realized she had just been given the brush off.

_Curse him._

Lois listened as Chloe launched into some story about Luthorcorp developing a new computer chip based on crystals. After the second sentence, she stopped listening. They were feeding her a story. Fine, as long as Chloe was aware. It was at least some protection for Clark.

In the meantime, Lois would wait for him to get back to the Planet.

Two hours went by and still no Clark. Friday night poker was set to start in ten minutes. Lois chewed at her thumb nail.

Where was he?

She really needed to go tonight. If her plan worked, she might be able to get some help without breaking any of the time travel rules. The poker game was a relatively safe place to meet the person that she hoped would be her new best friend on the police force.

Making a decision, Lois grabbed her purse, left her desk and headed out. She needed some back up. Hopefully, she could go and return before the meteor freak, or whatever she was, attacked Clark. She really didn't need to see that again.

An hour and half later, Lois was standing at the newspaper's elevator tired, disappointed and worried. None of her plans were working today. Her contact wasn't at the poker game, which meant Lois had no support and, to top it off, she didn't know where Clark was.

_Could this day get any worse?_

She hit the down button and waited. When the door opened, Lois was stunned. Of course, she'd seen it all before but seeing it fresh, after the day she'd had, was devastating. Plastered against the back of the elevator was Clark, shirt unbuttoned, hair tousled, with the red-haired bimbo all over him. Rather than fighting her off, Clark seemed to be an active participant in the mutual mauling. It was still shocking seeing him like that, the clean cut farm boy, in a passion play with a woman, any woman. Lois wondered, not for the first time, what it was that breached that Kent self-discipline.

Relief at seeing him alive and relatively unharmed was replaced by anger at his obstinacy. _Heart-attack-causing-hottie _was on the loose and Clark wasn't even protecting himself from her. The least he could have done was keep his friends close for protection.

"Smallville!" she yelled, irritation mixed with trepidation making her voice loud.

What if she couldn't break the spell this time?

She watched as he leaned to the side and looked around the redhead. She barely registered as the redhead turned to look at her as well.

"Lois?" Clark said, and Lois heard the confusion in his voice.

She had to get him away from this creature.

"I'll take the stairs," she said and turned to walk away.

It was killing her to leave him but it was the only way she knew to get him off of the elevator. It took less than a minute before she heard him call out.

"Lois," he said, and she heard his footsteps behind her.

She stopped as her eyes closed and she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Wait," he demanded.

She turned around and found herself looking at his bare chest. Unexpectedly, her mind conjured herself standing in place of the redhead on the elevator, rubbing her hands on Clark's bare chest, pushing him up against the elevator wall, kissing his soft, full lips …

Clark pulled his shirt together, and she was able to look up at his face.

"Let me explain," he said, still looking a little hot and bothered.

Desire morphed in to frustration and frustration fueled anger. How dare he make out with some homicidal harlot he'd only met minutes ago, when Lois was the one who was worrying about him, running after him, trying to protect him?

"What is there to explain?" she shouted at Clark, "You were pulling a Nine and a Half Weeks in the elevator with your new girlfriend. What's next, the Mile High Club?"

"She's not my girlfriend; Lois, just calm down," he yelled back.

"Calm down, calm down; oh, I'm perfectly calm," Lois said, poking his chest with her finger in frustration. God, this day was even worse the second time around!

Of course, Clark's expression changed to confusion. He was so dense sometimes.

Stalking away before she smacked the expression off of his face, Lois couldn't keep it inside any longer. "Why wouldn't I be calm? I've only spent the past few weeks thinking about you, trying to protect you, wanting you - crazy girl gets five minutes and she's got you half undressed. I've got five years and I can't get past first base!"

Punctuating her words with waving hands and sharp steps, Lois was almost to the door when she ran into a very large, very solid, partially bare chest.

"Oomph!" Lois felt the wind knocked out of her. Strong hands gripped her arms to keep her from falling over.

"Smallville, give a girl some warn-," she started, only to have her lips and her thoughts completely cut off by the feel of his as he kissed her.

Clark wasted no time with preliminaries, slipping his tongue into her mouth, tangling with hers and heating her up from the inside. Her body took over immediately, melting into Clark's like it had been waiting for this moment. As legs, hips and chests met and aligned perfectly, she felt as if she was drowning in him. His kiss was amazingly thorough and impossibly deep. As he explored, tasted, and pillaged, she surrendered without thought.

All of her senses were overwhelmed by the feel of his body, his taste, and even his scent. As always, the heat of his skin mesmerized her and she couldn't resist pulling away just enough to run her hands over the chest that had beckoned her minutes before. When his lips broke away from hers to kiss along the column of her throat, she sighed, realizing that he was probably still under the influence of his elevated endorphins. A big part of her didn't care.

The other, smaller part of her brain that was thinking about pushing him away never got the chance, as she was ripped from Clark's arms and sped to the alley where she and Clark had investigated that morning. When her vision cleared Lois could see that she was being held by the redhead with the killer kiss, her back against one of the brick buildings. Lois struggled but the creature who was pinning her with just one arm was strong, super strong.

What was she?

"I could not kill you in front of him but now that I have you alone, I will make sure you never take him away from me."

Lois laughed and continued to fight against the harlot's hold.

"Smallville? I could never take him away from anyone," Lois said, putting the emphasis on his name. It was time to put his secret to good use.

"Oh, he will come with me when you are gone," she responded. "I have finally found the man I wanted all my life and you cannot have him." The hand that held Lois by the neck began to squeeze.

"Smallville?" Lois questioned, again stressing the name as much as she could. "What's so special about Clark?"

"He is the Kryptonian I waited for," the woman said.

_Uh, oh, not from around here …_

"Smallville?" Lois choked out, hoping Clark was using his super hearing, "He's just a regular guy and, by the way crazy chick, there's nothing between us."

The woman laughed as Lois struggled to breathe.

"Oh, there is a bond between you or he would never have been able to break away from me. He feels it and so do you," her laughter turned into more of a shriek as Lois felt her breaths become shallow and her vision fade. "Otherwise, he would not have been able to kiss you as he did."

Before Lois blacked out, there was a quick breeze and the pressure against her throat disappeared. Dropping to the pavement, Lois struggled to focus. When her vision cleared, she saw Clark standing on the scorch mark, gripping the redhead's arms with both hands.

"… I've found the last son of Krypton and you are everything I wished for," the bimbo was telling Clark. "When we kissed I felt your passion, so much stronger than I have felt from any man, and I could sense that you are as desperate as I am to find a mate. You want me as much as I want you."

Lois' breath hitched at those words. Pain seared her throat and tightened the area around her heart as she watched the killer run her hands up Clark's chest.

"I don't want you," Clark responded, grabbing the woman's wrists and moving her hands away.

"Are you sure?" Lois heard her ask, "Because no one on this planet will be a better match. If you come back with me, you will never be alone."

Something flashed in Clark's eyes.

"My destiny's here," she heard him say, "and you're not part of it."

Clark touched the bracelet on the woman's wrist and she vanished in a column of bright light. Lois closed her eyes in relief, having recognized the conflict in Clark's eyes. God, he'd even used the word destiny, did he always feel so trapped? Didn't he see anything in the future for himself?

"Lois," Clark said, placing a hand on her face to brush the hair out of her eyes. She opened her eyes to see that his were full of that guilty, haunted look she'd come to know. It was the look that she couldn't bear, the one she always wanted to take away with a punch or a smirk or a teasing remark.

"Clark," she winced as the air hit her throat and she heard the croak in her voice.

"Hang on, I'll get help," Clark said, picking her up with one arm under her shoulders and the other under her knees.

Exhaustion was taking over. Her lack of sleep combined with her injuries seemed to press in on Lois and her eyelids drooped before she felt the familiar sharp pain in her head that preceded the memories she tried so hard to block.

"Fly with me," she whispered, already lost to the future.

_Lois was being held in cold arms as the wind rushed past, cooling her skin. In fact, she felt cool everywhere, except for her neck. It was on fire. She whimpered and opened her eyes._

_She could see his face, just above hers. Something like anguish showed in his expression. He looked so much like Clark that she blinked, her vision blurred from the pain. He looked at her as she felt a tear slide from one eye. The pain was excruciating, and not all of it physical._

_Suddenly, his mouth lowered and she felt his breath on her neck. Like the feel of his arms, his breath was ice cold. It felt incredible as it hit her overheated neck and she sighed in relief, closing her eyes again._

_The next time her eyes opened, he had landed. She was still in his arms, his face above hers. Her vision clearer, she could see the lack of expression on his face. Maybe she had imagined the concern before. The heat was slowly creeping back into her neck. As Night carried her indoors, the burning sensation returned. She gasped and grabbed at his arms. He stopped and lowered his mouth to her neck, blowing gently to cool the heat and dull the pain._

_Lois could see that they were in a large apartment. A family crest became visible and she realized they were in Oliver's penthouse in Star City. She would have snorted if her throat wasn't so sore. Oliver would be furious if he found out Night was using the penthouse as his local hideout._

_She felt herself being lowered to the bed when the nausea hit. Her head landed on the pillow and she gripped the satin sheets, breathing quick and shallow to avoid vomiting. She had a feeling her tender throat would not appreciate the sensation. As a distraction, Lois focused on the feel of the satin and her thoughts strayed. These sheets were a far cry from the flannel at the farm. She wondered which one Clar - Night preferred. Maybe evil had a need for the finer things?_

_She closed her eyes, continuing to ignore the bile rising in her throat. Just when she was sure she would be decorating the expensive sheets, she felt a cool cloth touch her neck and smelled the ointment that covered it. Lois kept her eyes closed while he wrapped the bandage loosely around her burned flesh and then covered her with a blanket._

_The ointment was soothing, the blanket was warm, and Lois felt herself drift toward sleep. Her mind shifted gears as the pain lessened. Why was he taking care of her? What did he plan to do with her? Something about the last question caused her to shiver. She would need to escape eventually but right now, she had a chance to heal and she would take it._

_**Metropolis General, nighttime**_

Her throat hurt. Lois moved her hand to touch her neck and felt smooth skin. She was sure her memories of the future were starting to mess with her perceptions of the present until she tried to groan in response to the pain.

_Okay, real pain._

Then she heard Chloe's voice; what was Chloe doing here?

"Clark, I got your message. What happened?"

Lois listened for Clark's voice but couldn't hear him.

"Lois, look at me; can you look at me?" A strange voice directed. "I need you to open your eyes."

"Are you sure she didn't hit her head?" The strange voice asked no one in particular.

"I don't know," Lois heard Clark answer and she felt relieved at the sound of his voice. "The attacker had her by the throat when I got there." Her mind continued to clear as she realized Clark was himself and she'd been attacked by some Amazon alien.

"She should be opening her eyes by now," the stranger said.

_Easy for him to say._

"Lois, can you hear me? You need to open your eyes if you can hear me," Clark's calm, low voice sounded closer now and Lois felt a warm hand on her arm.

It was a struggle but Lois managed to squint enough to see Clark standing over her. She smiled.

"We need to stop meeting like this," she said and was shocked at the weak, raspy sound of her voice.

So was Clark, if his anxious expression was any indication. She caught a glimpse of it before a doctor pushed in front of him to begin his examination. Lois was busy watching Clark and Chloe walk behind the curtain and didn't pay attention to the doctor until he told her that her larynx may have been damaged.

"That means you shouldn't talk for the next day or two, then keep conversation limited until your follow up appointment," he told her.

She barely controlled a snort, remembering the pain in her throat, and instead looked past the doctor as Chloe walked over just in time to hear the doctor's advice. Lois looked at her in panic.

_Seriously?_

She must have recognized the desperation in her cousin's eyes because Chloe stepped forward and put her hand on Lois' arm. "It will be okay, Lois. We'll all help," Chloe told her.

"It's usually easiest if you can isolate yourself from others, stay in your room, maybe read or watch some television," the doctor said with a smile of sympathy. "I know it's hard but if you don't protect your larynx you could cause permanent damage."

Lois watched as Clark pulled the curtain aside following Chloe into the examination area. She knew she was probably looking at him like a deer caught in the headlights, but she couldn't help it.

Not talk for two days? And she'd thought this day couldn't get any worse.

It was when Detective J'onn Jones walked in behind Clark that Lois wanted to weep with frustration. The one man she'd been looking for all day and now there was nothing she could tell him.

"Miss Lane, I heard what the doctor said about remaining quiet, are you up for giving a written statement?" he asked.

She shook her head in the negative, not wanted to make a record out of the majority of what she wanted to tell J'onn. Since her attacker was an intergalactic traveler it wasn't like time was an issue anymore. Lois didn't have a solid lead on her whereabouts, even if J'onn could catch her. Already frustrated by her inability to communicate, she felt tears fill her eyes.

Undeterred, she steeled herself and caught Chloe's eyes, holding up two fingers and nodding toward J'onn. Chloe looked puzzled, so Lois repeated her movements with Clark, also closing her eyes and resting her head on her hands.

Clark's eyes narrowed in concentration. "She'll get back to you in a couple of days, Detective," he told J'onn. "In the meantime, she should probably go home and rest."

Lois nodded vigorously and caught Chloe's look of amazement, which soon changed to amusement, while J'onn made arrangements with Clark to get an interview after the weekend.

It was when Clark pulled Chloe to the side of the curtain that J'onn leaned over to give Lois his card. "I'm sorry Ms. Lane," he said, "I'll be sure to stop by the Planet next week for that interview."

Lois just smiled and nodded as J'onn patted her arm. Chloe and Clark came back in as J'onn pulled the curtain aside to leave.

"I should go take care of my fallen fiancé now," Chloe said, hugging Lois. "Be careful Lo, and I'll see you later." She glanced at Clark, raising her eyebrows suggestively. "I think you two have some things to talk about anyway." Clark just looked pointedly at Chloe as she left.

Lois gestured toward the curtain with a questioning glance.

"Jimmy was admitted earlier today with injuries, but he's going to be fine," Clark answered part of her unspoken question. She didn't follow up on Chloe's other comment. If Clark had something to talk to her about, he would get to it eventually. After everything that had happened today, she wasn't sure she wanted to delve into all right now.

Lois swung her legs off the bed and started grabbing her things. At least she was going to get out of here tonight. When Clark didn't move, Lois stopped and looked at him. He was watching her with his hands in his pockets.

"I heard the doctor say that your recovery would be faster if you were some place quiet," Clark commented, pulling one hand out of his pocket and running it through his hair.

"I know you weren't sleeping at the apartment and, well, if you want your old room back at the farm, it's yours," He finally smiled but the look in his eyes was one of confusion and doubt. He wasn't sure that this was a good idea, she could tell.

Lois smiled back as she nodded anyway. She had her own doubts but pushed them aside. It was important that she get closer to Clark, if for no other reason than he needed someone to keep an eye out for him. The blue crystal was still out there.

_**Kent farm, two days later**_

"Lois, what are you doing?" Clark's voice came from the direction of the stairs.

Even with her head stuck in the freezer, Lois considered rolling her eyes. Clark was such a mother hen. It'd been two days and he was already making her crazy …

_Lois, don't lift that! Lois, shouldn't you be resting? Lois, are you muttering under your breath?_

He would make anyone mutter.

She schooled her features and turned toward his voice, tub of Ben & Jerry's in one hand, spoon in the other. Holding them up as evidence, she lifted her brows …

_What does it look like?_

His facial expression told her he wasn't ready to back down.

"Shouldn't you be resting?"

She couldn't stop from rolling her eyes at him this time, even punching him in the arm for emphasis, when she passed him on her way to the couch.

Once she was settled with her ice cream, she couldn't seem to control her gaze, which continued to wander from the movie to the kitchen where Clark was making his own snack. His movements were easy and she questioned how he controlled his strength so easily. He must have had years of practice; he looked so comfortable moving around in his plain white t-shirt and gray sweats.

Lois only wished she could feel as relaxed. The incident with the raging redhead had left her with uncertainties and concerns. Her memory of the redhead's hands on Clark as she told him there would never be a better match …What if Clark had needs a human female couldn't handle? Lois choked on a bit of ice cream at the thought.

As her eyes glanced back at the kitchen, she saw Clark stretching with his arms over his head, his t-shirt tightened against his chest and biceps, revealing every sinewy muscle. She almost dropped her spoon.

_Get it together, Lane._

"How did you manage to fit all that stuff in to that little Talon apartment?" Clark asked, finishing his stretch and dropping his arms to look at Lois. "Don't answer that," he said quickly, putting his hands in the air when she opened her mouth.

Unable to respond to Clark's question, Lois turned back to the television and waited while Clark walked over carrying his snack. Soon, she felt her lips pressing together, although she wasn't sure how that physical response was going to help control her wayward thoughts. She groaned internally when Clark sat next to her on the couch.

"Star Wars," he said, turning to her with a smile, "and no running commentary for once."

Lois glared back at him, letting her frustration show. Clark just laughed and looked back at the television, while Lois continued to eat her ice cream. Soon her eyes were drawn back to him, only to find him looking at her. She glanced down quickly, staring at her almost empty container of ice cream. Lately, she started to catch these little questioning looks from Clark, but she couldn't be sure what questions he was trying to get answered.

Why was this so difficult? She felt the need to reassess her strategy, again. The alien chick's words kept playing over and over in her head.

_No one on this planet will be a better match …_

What if that were true? The idea that she might not be enough for Clark was making her nervous. Yet she'd always known that he had a passionate side. Otherwise why would she constantly challenge him, if it wasn't to draw him out, get him to let go?

Just then, Clark leaned his head back against the couch and closed his eyes with a sigh. He looked exhausted. How much control did he exert every day? How much did he keep stored away for just the right woman? She couldn't stop the shudder that went through her body as she contemplated the answer to that last question.

"Are you cold?" Clark asked her, turning away from the movie at her movement. He grabbed the blanket from the back of the couch and threw it over both of them. Then he lifted his feet to the coffee table, crossed his arms over his stomach, and settled into the couch. Lois couldn't stop her smile as she remembered Clark and Mr. Kent napping like this every Sunday, at least until Mrs. K yelled at them to get their feet off the table.

She poked him in the shoulder and watched as he frowned without opening his eyes and moved his feet to the floor. She scooted closer to Clark's warmth with a sigh.

As always, her memories of the farm soothed and bolstered her. When Lois leaned back to snuggle under the blanket, her eyes moved around, taking in the comfortable living room. She was always so contented here. No matter the trouble, the farm magically put it into perspective. She could almost hear Mrs. Kent telling her softly that no intergalactic female was going to understand Clark, at least not the way he was raised. Clark would need more than passion; he would want an emotional attachment, a connection with someone like his parents had.

_You understand; he's so much like his father …_

As she sidled just a little closer, Clark's warmth washed over her and she remembered his touch, his kiss. In her memory she relived all the little details and felt her body heat. She turned her back to Clark and closed her eyes, hoping to shut out the memories. Instead, all she could see was Clark with that woman at the end.

_My destiny's here and you're not part of it._

_Destiny._

_Are you Lois Lane?_

_Destiny._

_Then this will work. _

She released a shuddering breath at the realization that she could grow to crave Clark's passionate side if she wasn't careful.

It was the emotional attachment he needed that scared the living daylights out of her. 


	7. Chapter 6 Prey Protected

**This Chapter is dedicated to Megasaurus Rex, who wrote a beautiful short story called, "Do You Love Him?" It was so heart-wrenching that I had to include a tiny part of her concept here.**

**CHAPTER SIX - PREY PROTECTED**

_**Metropolis, September 2008**_

_Pain_.

Lois woke up a burning sensation in her side from the jeweler's taser.

Things had obviously not gone the way she'd planned. She took a deep breath and looked around, squinting to see in the dark of the basement. The whirring sounds were familiar as the figure of the jeweler moved from one of machine to another like some kind of crazed scientist.

_Not again_.

"Why are you here?" he asked her quietly.

Lois remained silent. This guy thrived on words, like some twisted truth seer, so she decided that she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of a response. Repeating the past could work in her favor this time. She just needed to think …

"I'm helping them, you know," the jeweler told her calmly; eerily. "These couples have no idea what they're getting themselves into and they need to know that their partner is being honest. It will save so much heartache down the road-"

Lois scoffed as the jeweler repeated the same mantra from three years ago. Yeah, lying was bad; she didn't need this guy to tell her that. She'd kept this investigation from Clark and look where it got her, chained to this chair, hooked up to wires and machines like some kind of human lightning rod.

"Even if they're not being honest that doesn't give you the right to kill them," she countered, unable to stay quiet for long, pulling at her chains. "You're certifiable."

"I need to know how you found me," the jeweler queried, ignoring Lois' remarks.

"I can' tell you that," Lois told him. If Clark couldn't get the truth out of her-

The click and whine of the device interrupted her thoughts and sent a chill through her body as it echoed in the cavernous basement.

"Do you know what will happen if you lie to me?"

Lois felt her body tense as she looked at the empty chair only a few feet across from hers. In her mind, she could see Clark sitting there and hear the echo of his screams. Her throat constricted and she couldn't answer.

The jeweler got close to her face.

"Yes, I know what you will do," Lois managed to get out, trying to head-butt the guy. "But I can't tell you."

He hit the button.

In a flash she was immobile; paralyzing pain was coursing through her, unavoidable and unstoppable.

_Focus on something besides the pain_. 

As the General's words came to her through the anguish, Lois tried to concentrate on recent events and, of course, her mind went to one of her last interactions with Clark.

_Sitting at the kitchen table in the Kent farmhouse, she had newspaper spread out in front of her. The sun shining through the window was warm but Lois felt chilled by the front page story, a reminder of events that only she could put together, that only she could stop._

_Staring out the window, she tried to develop a strategy, one that didn't involve Clark. Their last encounter with the femme fatale from outer space was dangerous enough. In the past couple of weeks, they'd lived easily as friends, going back to their comfort zone as each tried to recover. Occasionally, Clark would look at her or start a conversation, only to run his hand through his hair in frustration, following his action with some innocuous topic. The man was the master of avoidance. Lois didn't push him because she didn't feel the need to talk about what happened. Clark wouldn't have kissed her but for his elevated endorphins - end of story._

_Besides, there were more important things going on right now that didn't involve kissing Clark, as much as she might want to. Couples were being killed and, while the jeweler shouldn't be more than she could handle, he'd done something that hurt Clark last time-_

_"What are you reading?" Clark asked, voice near her ear interrupting her thoughts and sending a little shiver through her._

_At her silence, he picked up the paper._

_"The Inquisitor? Since when do you keep up with the Inquisitor?"_

_"Never hurts to check out the competition," Lois responded absentmindedly, sticking her tongue in her cheek to help her concentrate._

_"Competition, what competition? Lois, the Inquisitor does not compare to the Daily Planet," Clark responded suspiciously, stepping around the table to pull out one of the kitchen chairs and sit down._

_He waited, knowing that the silence would get to her … and it did._

_"I'm fine Clark, just doing a little light reading, okay?" she said irritated when she saw Clark giving her one of those intent looks, like he was trying to read her mind or something. It was the same look he had after she mentioned the blue crystal – intense curiosity mixed with a little fear._

_"What?" Lois asked him, impatiently. Ever since he'd rescued her from that harlot, he'd been watching her like he suspected she knew something, and it was pushing her over the edge. Why was he the only guy who could make her feel guilty?_

_"Uhm, nothing, just wondering what has your attention," he answered, looking down at the front page of the Inquisitor. "Aliens Abduct Engaged Couples," he read, a teasing smile on his face as he looked up. "Is this what you're reading?"_

_"Sure," Lois returned, watching his smile turn into a grin. "Don't you believe in life on other planets?"_

_Clark's grin faded when Lois snatched the paper away and she watched as an almost frightened look returned to his features. Before he could question her further, she took off at a fast clip up the stairs. That look on his face, like a frightened child, always bothered her but she couldn't let him know what she was really doing. Clark wouldn't get hurt again if she could help it, even if it meant scaring him into thinking that she knew about his origins._

When the machines stopped, the relief from the pain was so immediate that Lois almost cried out. Taking shallow breaths, she opened her eyes and spotted the jeweler making more adjustments. Was he increasing the power?

"Tell me the truth," the jeweler demanded quietly. "How did you find me?" 

"Why are you doing this?" Lois responded with a question of her own and cringed at the shallow sound of her own voice.

"I told you-" he started to explain, stopping as he seemed to pick up on her ploy. "Just tell me the truth."

At the very thought, Lois started laughing softly. She couldn't and, even if she did he wouldn't believe her. Who would?

When she heard the whir of the machine and saw the jeweler with the button in his hand, her mind readily shifted back to recent events in preparation for the pain, this time focusing on her only hope for rescue, as escape seemed less likely with each jolt.

_"Yes, get me Detective Jones. This is an emergency," Lois requested through the phone as she sat outside the jewelry store where she knew the couples were being held and tortured._

_"J'onn Jones," a deep voice responded._

_"J'onn, I have some information about the guy who's kidnapping the engaged couples in town."_

_"Well, hello to you too, Ms. Lane," he said._

_Sitting alone in the car, Lois rolled her eyes. J'onn was as bad as Clark, always trying to teach her some manners._

_"Look, all of these couples shopped at the same jewelry store," Lois told him. "I think the jeweler is involved."_

_"The store on Monroe?" J'onn questioned. "We've already checked it out. There was nothing there."_

_"Did you check in the basement?"_

_"No."_

_"Why not," Lois demanded._

_"Because I'd need probable cause and a little thing called a search warrant," J'onn told her with a slightly exasperated tone._

_Never one to be deterred, Lois weighed her options._

_"So, if I get you the probable cause, you can look in the basement?" She asked eagerly._

_"Wait, what are you thinking?" J'onn asked her. "Are you planning to get yourself in trouble again?"_

_"J'onn, would I do that?"_

_"I don't know you well Ms. Lane but yes, I believe you would," he replied._

_Lois laughed. One of these days, she and her friend would have to have a long talk ... but not today._

_"Look, J'onn," Lois sobered. "Promise me that whatever happens, you won't let Clark storm the place."_

_"What do you mean?" J'onn replied cautiously._

_"I'm not an idiot. I live at the farm, after all," Lois told him. If she couldn't tell J'onn, her fellow Darkness fighter, who could she tell? "The jeweler has meteor rock on him. Don't let Clark go in there alone, okay?"_

_There was silence on the other line._

_"Uhm, Ms. Lane-"_

_"J'onn, I know, okay? Just show up at the jewelers tonight after closing … and don't let Clark know that I know anything."_

_"Ms. Lane … Lois, wait-"_

_She hung up._

Maybe that wasn't such a good idea. Now she was waiting for a rescue that may not happen because J'onn probably thought she was crazy. A few more blasts of electricity and she might be.

The jeweler, always so calm, spoke again.

"Just tell me, tell me the truth and you might get out of here," he said.

Lois looked up through her lashes. She wasn't sure she could speak right now as this jolt left residual pain in its wake.

"I can't," she managed but it came out as a croak.

"I wonder ..." the jeweler continued, adjusting his devices, turning knobs and levers as he walked around the cords. "Do you have someone special in your life - boyfriend, fiancé, or a husband perhaps?"

When Lois didn't respond, he continued as if she had, "And are you this honest with him?"

Lois felt her heart beat faster. She didn't have any of those things but she did have a protector who would come looking for her. The problem was that if he busted in here right now, he would be hurting because of her. That couldn't happen again; she would protect him. Unfortunately, she hadn't given him any clues about where to look-

The jeweler stepped close, and Lois couldn't resist kicking out at him, furious that his comments were starting to make her feel guilty about keeping Clark in the dark. The jeweler didn't have the right question her relationships. He didn't know anything about her or about protecting people, only hurting them.

Even though she was weak, her foot connected with her captor's shin and caused him to stumble backwards.

"Don't you know actions speak louder than words?" She managed to spit out.

The jeweler hit the button again.

This time, the General's advice could not help as the pain seemed to penetrate every part of her body. Lois heard herself scream as her mind seemed to separate itself, blending her memories with reality.

_Dark and cold permeated the basement, as Lois sat chained to the same chair, only this time she was waiting. Clark would come for her; she knew it._

_The door burst off its hinges and she felt the sense of relief she always felt. Everything would be okay now …_

_Except it wasn't; somehow the crazy guy who captured her got the jump on Clark and knocked him unconscious. She hadn't noticed the green bracelet before but now in her memory it stood out against the jeweler's pale skin._

_"Clark, wake up," Lois kept repeating. "Clark … Clark, wake up."_

_When he came to, Clark looked as stunned as Lois felt. In her memory, Lois saw him focus on the jeweler's wrist._

_"I know who you are," Clark told the guy, obviously trying to get him talking. Lois blocked out the rest of the conversation when the jeweler revealed himself. They were dead._

_"You must really care about her, storming in here," the jeweler directed toward Clark, seemingly impressed. "It's very gallant of you."_

_"Yeah, he's stupid that way," Lois told the jeweler, still astounded that the rescue had gone wrong. With her eyes she tried to let Clark know how sorry she was that she'd dragged him into this. After all, it was her idea to pose as a couple to track down Chloe and Jimmy after they were kidnapped._

_"Let her go," Clark demanded, and Lois would have snorted if she hadn't been so scared … typical Clark, gallant and stupid._

_"After her turn, you'll get yours," the jeweler replied._

_"My turn?" Lois asked him. "What is this, some kind of game?"_

_With that question, the jeweler stopped and turned to face them._

_"No, no; it's a test to reveal how much you two have been hiding from one another," the jeweler explained, while Lois watched her own panic being displayed on Clark's face. Her sense of dread started to take over and she didn't hear the rest of the jeweler's remarks._

_The click and whine of the device penetrated her senses and echoed in her head._

_"Have you ever cheated on your fiancé?" The jeweler asked her calmly._

_Lois didn't remember her response. The whole situation was crazy. They weren't engaged; they were only pretending to be while trying to find Jimmy and Chloe's kidnapper. However, none of that mattered when the electricity hit Clark and he started screaming._

_"What are you doing?" Lois cried in a panic. "You're killing him."_

_"No," the jeweler responded calmly. He was always so calm. "Your lies are."_

_"Okay, okay, I take it back then. I'm sorry." Lois cried, feeling the tears form. "Just don't hurt him again." Clark's pain was killing her. His gasps for breath felt like her own … it was as if she could feel the electricity herself, pain that continued on and on …_

_Pain._

_"Deep down, underneath it all, do you love this man?" The jeweler asked her._

_Lies … pain._

_"Do you love him?"_

_Pain_.

"Lois …"

"Lois, can you hear me?"

That voice, she knew it. He would always come for her.

"Yes," Lois sobbed in relief. "Yes, I love him." 

_**Daily Planet, two days later**_

As Lois walked into the Bullpen, she felt her spirits lift. It was good to be back. Granted, she was still a little weak from her tussle with the jeweler, but most of that was emotional. Physically, she was ready to get back to work and she strode energetically over to her desk, coffee in hand.

She ignored Clark, who was sitting at his desk. After the rescue, Clark had visited her only two or three times at the hospital. Lois figured he was avoiding her. That was his usual reaction when she said or did something stupid like lying to him - he wouldn't like that - or clinging to him after making some vague declaration of love.

"Truth or Dare Murderer Attacks Couples," Clark announced before she could sit down. "When did you find time to write this?"

"I had Chloe bring me my laptop," Lois replied, shrugging. She turned on her computer, sat down and waited. "Not a lot to do in the hospital."

_Crap._

She hadn't meant that the way it sounded. Sighing, she allowed her fingers to click soothingly over the keyboard, knowing that he was looking at her right now, guilt written all over his face. She kept her eyes on the computer. If he started feeling guilty, then she'd start feeling guilty, and she was working hard to control all of her emotions. Seeing Clark had re-opened old wounds and some new ones as well. She hadn't expected it because she'd spent so little time with him in the hospit-

"You could have been killed in that basement and no one would have known where to look for the body," Clark interrupted her thoughts, frustration in his voice.

"That's why I told J'onn about the investigation," she said, looking around the computer to smile at him. Her smile faded a little. Clark looked ragged. Maybe he was really busy, which would make sense since avoiding her seemed to be the last thing on his mind. Lois watched his jaw clench as he geared up for more lecturing.

"You could have told me what you were working on-"

"Look, Smallville, this guy was after couples. We would have been moving targets if we'd gone in there together," she explained, trying to end the lecture before she got irritated. Lois returned her focus to her computer. "I was trying to protect you."

"Protect me? This is the third time you've been in the hospital since July," Clark pointed out, standing up and walking around to tower over her desk. "You're the one who needs protection," he added his voice low and filled with agitation. Lois sighed deeply, looked up and found his clenched jaw just inches from her face.

Lois scowled back at him as she stood up, putting some distance between herself and Clark's stormy expression. Did he really think intimidation was going to work? Her hand started to reach for her throat but she dropped it. Control, she couldn't lose control. She was feeling too fragile in the aftermath of the jeweler's torture.

"Do we have to go over this again?" Lois asked, hoping that Clark would get the hint that she wasn't ready to argue with him. "I've told you, I can take care of myself."

"Yeah, you were doing a great job of it in that basement," he returned scornfully.

Lois' eyes slammed into his, her veneer cracking.

_Lies … pain._

_Do you love this man?_

_Damn him._

She watched as Clark flinched, aware that he had gone too far.

Why was he pushing her? Anger was bubbling to the surface. After the rescue, Clark had practically dumped her at the hospital, leaving her alone to face her nightmares and her confessions. Now, he was trying to start an argument at work, breaching the defenses she'd so carefully cultivated in the hospital. Her insecurities were at the forefront. Full-blown fury wasn't far behind and work was not the place for this.

Lois snatched up her purse, turned on her heel and walked briskly toward the elevator.

_Control, keep your cool._

By the time she reached the doors Clark was beside her. She heard him sigh as she reached for the up button and he covered her hand with his own.

"I'm sorry, Lois," he said softly. "I didn't mean ¼ I just want ¼ you need to be safe," he finished in a rush.

At the simple contact, all her anger melted away and she closed her eyes. Her body was starting to crave his touch and the familiar warmth and awareness that went with it. She was tempted to turn and bury herself in him, in the safety of his arms, remembering those arms as the ones that released her from the electric chair and carried her from that torture chamber, but she couldn't. If she touched him any more she might break down and he would see how hurt she'd been.

Instead, Lois opened her eyes and looked at Clark. He winced, seeing the tears in hers and she knew he wasn't trying to tear her down. He just didn't understand why she would risk her life. She looked at his strong face and the concern reflected there.

"No one can guarantee my safety, Clark."

She watched as confusion replaced concern in his expression. Of course, Clark was sure he could keep her safe because he was nearly indestructible. Did he ever consider his own weaknesses? Probably not and, with that thought, she wondered if he'd charged in this time, busting down the door to save her.

_Gallant and stupid …_

"You know I won't be smothered," Lois lowered her voice and her eyes. "Tell Randall I'm taking a break."

"Lois," he said and the way he said it was enough to make the tears fall. Only he could make her name sound like a plea for forgiveness.

When the elevator doors opened, Lois removed her fingers from Clark's and stepped inside. He moved as if to follow her but she held up her hand, sticking it out as a signal to stop, and kept her head lowered. It was time for a tactical retreat.

She watched through heavy lashes as the doors to the elevator closed in front of Clark. Tears were threatening to fall as the pressure from the last few months weighed down upon her. It seemed the more she tried to fix things the worse they became. Events were unraveling in a way she hadn't imagined, with Davis still in the picture, Oliver out of the picture, and Clark hurling accusations and picking fights. If she was making a difference, it wasn't in a good way.

The doors opened and closed on every floor but Lois stayed inside her sanctuary. Where else was she going to go? Chloe wasn't at work yet. The farm was too quiet, J'onn was working, and Oliver, based on the latest tabloid reports, was visiting Monte Carlo with "friends." She hadn't seen him since her birthday party.

At the various stops, Lois kept her head down and ignored the curious glances of co-workers who weren't used to her being so quiet. At the top floor, when the elevator was emptied, she exited and headed for the stairs.

On the roof she leaned against the concrete half-wall and looked out over the city. Generally, Lois was not the reflective type. Instead, she was all talk and go, without regard to the feelings of others, relying on her gut to tell her when to back off or plow forward. Now, thanks to the Legion, she couldn't just go … and keep going.

How was she going to handle being restricted, being tied to one man, the same man who was rescuing her one minute, abandoning her at the hospital the next and then blaming her? Running was her first instinct in every emotionally charged situation.

_Strike first, as the General used to say._

Great, she must be really stressed to be quoting the General twice in one week. Of all his mottos and sayings, that was one she followed regularly, usually right before she ended a relationship by leaving. At the thought, she gripped the concrete tightly in her hands, feeling the roughness scrape her fingers, battling the impulse to run, to flee to Star City now before history could repeat itself, before she could fall …

_Too late. _

Once again, at the jeweler's hand, she'd been forced to face her true feelings.

_Do you love this man?_

Three years ago the jeweler had tortured Clark until Lois broke down. This time, her admission had been less obvious but it was still just as true. She loved Clark. In fact, she loved him now more than she had years before. She'd seen it all, his weaknesses, vulnerabilities, insecurities and yet she needed him. In the hospital, she'd felt … incomplete without him.

Of course, she couldn't face her feelings _and _Clark in the span of a few short days, so she'd run from him, from his lecture. It was the last thing she needed, a lecture from him. Instead, she yearned for an acknowledgement of her confession. Being Clark, even if he'd heard her he probably wouldn't say anything. The man was oblivious.

_Strike first._

Suddenly her heart started racing as her mind considered another, very different interpretation for the General's adage. Maybe she needed to take a more direct approach. Looking over the city she considered the ramifications briefly but, before she could chicken out she ran to the stairs, racing all the way down to the Bullpen. There wasn't time for the elevator. If she was going to do this, it needed to happen now, before she lost her nerve. Breathing heavily, she exited, looking for Clark, asking around, ready to tell him …

After looking everywhere and talking to everyone, Lois gave up. Figures, when she was finally ready to launch, Clark was nowhere to be found.

_**Ace of Clubs, one week later**_

The inside of the club was in chaos. Bodies were everywhere. The smell of blood was so strong that Lois had to pause and take deep breaths before she could go any farther. The last time she'd seen anything like this was during her battles with the Darkness. At that thought, she stopped when her vision started to fade, using the bar to support herself. She looked around for something to distract her and spotted J'onn in the middle of the room. He looked so different wearing his detective clothes …

_This is not the invasion; get a grip, Lane_.

Lois closed her eyes and when she opened them, she was able to focus on J'onn. With a clearer head, she walked over to her former battle ally.

"What happened here?" Lois asked, still shocked by the level of carnage.

"Why don't you ask your partner?" J'onn responded, pointing toward the terrace, while giving directions to one of his officers.

"Clark's here?" Lois asked him, looking across the room to the balcony doors. Sure enough, there he stood on the terrace holding on to the railing and looking out over the city.

"He came in just a few minutes ago," J'onn told her. "I assumed you were together."

"No, but I can remedy that." Lois said, catching J'onn's satisfied nod before she crossed the bar quickly to get outside. On the balcony, she breathed deeply trying to clear the smell of blood from her nostrils.

Clark didn't move as she approached, so Lois took the opportunity to study him. She hadn't really seen him since their argument. She'd searched high and low for him after making her decision to strike first, but he'd disappeared. After that, she'd been caught up with Chloe's wedding plans. As more time went by, Lois' resolve weakened until she'd convinced herself to wait. Her gut was telling her that now was not the right time.

As for Clark, he was never around, taking avoidance to a whole new level. He was gone from the farm when Lois went to bed and he was at work by the time Lois got up in the morning. His hours at the Planet were making Lois look like a slacker, and his desk was a mess. He'd also taken to keeping an emergency scanner near his computer and running off at odd hours of the day, usually any time she was trying to have a conversation with him. To top it off, all of his assignments had been solo lately.

Right now, he looked like a man on the edge.

"Hey, Smallville, what happened here?" Lois asked, leaning against the railing and watching his profile. When he didn't turn to look at her, Lois started to worry.

"A lot of people died," he responded and his voice was flat, emotionless. Lois felt her worry turn to fear. Was this it? Her assumption was that Clark was simply engaged in a form of busy brooding after their fight but what if it was more? If this was a trigger of some sort for the dark and she'd left him alone for too long …

Pushing down the fear, she tilted her head and considered him more closely. His voice was in direct contrast to his body language, muscles coiled and hands gripping the railing. The show of emotion was there, just not in his voice.

"I can see that for myself," she told him, trying to keep a neutral tone. "Any suspects?"

"No," he answered tersely. Without moving his hands on the rail, he pushed back on his heels and rocked forward again in a move Lois hadn't seen since Lana left.

"Any leads?" She asked, her concern lessening a little as she recognized the signs of an extremely stressed Clark.

He looked down at his hands and Lois saw the clear plastic evidence bag clutched in his fingers. Inside was a cell phone.

"Okay, taking evidence from a crime scene is really more my style …" Lois trailed off, equally concerned and impressed.

He turned to look at her and she could see the storm of distress, anxiety, and frustration in his eyes. Had he tried to save all these people? Surely not, he had powers but this … this was a disaster. Even he must have limits. What was driving him so close to reaching them?

"We need to get that back to the Planet and take a look," she told him, moving to take the bag from his hand. He didn't resist. Letting her purse slip down her shoulder, Lois carefully dropped the evidence inside. Sighing, she grabbed his arm and led him away from the crime scene, feeling the tension in his body ease after she touched him.

_Just like Night_.

Where had that thought come from?

Night hadn't crossed her mind in weeks. With thoughts of the future, she might have expected the memories, but she wasn't ready when the sharp pain hit. Rubbing her temples, she kept walking and then, just like that, she was in the future.

_Lois was testing Night, pushing him to the limit with every escape attempt, and she knew it. It was her job to try despite the odds. She would not be anyone's prisoner voluntarily. Of course, with his abilities, Night always found her and brought her back to the penthouse._

_In some weird, twisted way, escape and capture had become a game between them, with Lois increasing her efforts and the risk level in every attempt. She did it in part because she was Lois Lane and that's how she did things but also in an attempt to bring Clark back. He was in there; she'd caught glimpses of him after the first couple of escapes and she couldn't suppress the little thrill that went through her with every show of irritation, annoyance or concern. _

_Hanging by Oliver's silk sheets at forty stories up was her riskiest effort so far, especially now that she'd run out of sheet and still wasn't close to the balcony below. Trying to climb back up hand over hand hadn't worked. Her arms were too tired. When she felt herself slip, she couldn't suppress a scream. Night was there in an instant._

_His reaction was better than she expected. By the time he lowered her feet to the floor of the bedroom, he was furious and it showed. His eyes had turned dark blue, his brows were furrowed, his lips thin and pressed firmly together. In response, she smiled and raised one eyebrow, taunting him._

_He grabbed her by the arms, the cold not as shocking to her senses any more, and shook her like he was trying to shake some sense into her. All Lois could do was stare back at him in wonder as each reaction – anger, frustration, concern - crossed his face and color returned to his complexion. Soon, the cold in his hands lessened as he fought to slow his breathing-_

"Lois, Lois, answer me," Clark was demanding, concern in his voice. He continued shaking her lightly as she stared at him. He was talking and she marveled at the words coming forth.

"Lois, are you all right?" His brow was wrinkled his lips pressed firmly together.

Smiling, she touched a tentative finger to his lips, reveling in her success. It had worked and the outcome was better than she expected. Clark was back, he was talking, and his lips were warm.

_Wait … warm._

It was the warmth that penetrated her memories as Clark started rubbing her arms while calling out to her. Soon she could hear the shouting of medical personnel and see the catastrophe inside the club.

Clark must have seen the awareness return to her face as she dropped her hand because he practically pushed her out the door. In the quiet of the hall, he turned her back to face him.

"Lois, what's going on? Are you all right?" His eyes continued to widen in alarm when she didn't respond.

"I'm taking you to the hospital."

"No … no, I'm okay," Lois managed to get out, still reeling slightly from the memory, "Just zoned out for a minute. Uhm, it's pretty bad in there," she told him, looking over her shoulder toward the club.

He sobered immediately, looking past her to the entrance.

"Yea, it is," he responded, the haunted expression returning to his features.

"Let's get out of here," Lois said, pulling him by the elbow. When he followed, she let out a sigh of relief. If these memories continued, Clark was going to get suspicious and, if he became worried, he'd put her in the hospital in a heartbeat. Since she didn't know how to stop them, she'd have to come up with some creative ways to distract him ... and soon.

The walk back to the Planet was done in silence, Lois trying to put her earlier memory from her mind while Clark kept stealing glances at her out of the corner of his eyes. Lois ignored him, knowing she'd get another safety lecture if she gave him any kind of opening.

In the basement, after they played the phone recording of the attack, Clark tensed up even more, certain that one of the meteor infected was involved. Lois agreed with him and, while Clark took off to follow up with Chloe, Lois looked up any recent police records that mentioned unusual abilities. Despite everything that happened, it felt right to be working as a team again.

_**Daily Planet, next day**_

"I'm talking about _obsession_, Clark. You can't save everyone," J'onn was saying as he stood next to Clark's work chair. Lois watched as J'onn looked pointedly at the fast food wrappers and empty coffee cups that littered Clark's desk surface. She softened her footsteps as she walked closer.

"The minute I believe that is the minute I stop trying," Clark said, clearly agitated.

It was just as Lois feared; Clark had tried to save all of those people at the club. No wonder he was ragged looking.

"What happened to Lois was not your fault," J'onn continued sympathetically.

What? Surely Clark wasn't blaming himself for what happened at the jeweler's. That was taking his guilt complex a little far. Lois had kept the entire investigation from him on purpose. How could he have known she'd get kidnapped?

"Lois almost died," Clark said sounding distressed at the idea. "If I hadn't been so worried about her learning my secret … Anyway, I thought you'd be happy I'm finally embracing my destiny-" Clark said, lowering his voice with every word. Suddenly his stopped and turned to look at Lois approaching from behind. There was a look of desperation in his eyes before it was replaced with suspicion.

Lois straightened and walked briskly to her desk, nodding at J'onn, while acting oblivious. As the men casually made their way over to the file cabinets, she wondered if she'd heard them wrong. It simply wasn't possible that Clark was trying to save everyone because of what happened to her. Evidently, he was also afraid that she knew about him. Which one was fueling his frustration? If she was going to be supportive, she needed to know.

Her eyes wandered to Clark's desk and, making a quick decision, she grabbed her trash can to clean off the debris, inching closer to the men's conversation.

"Until I messed up … " Clark was saying.

_Really need to work on that guilt complex_.

"… Similar murders," according to J'onn.

_More bodies - scary thought._

"Bones are crushed … Killer gets away without a trace," Clark told him, bitterness creeping back into his voice.

_Already know that._

"… Davis Bloome," J'onn referenced.

Lois felt her mind go blank and her head snap up at the name.

"What about Davis Bloome?" She asked, dropping all pretenses, along with the trash can, and walking over to join them. "Do you think he's involved?"

"It's just a theory," Clark told her in his _don't go off half cocked, Lane _voice. "He's been the first paramedic to arrive at some of the crime scenes."

"It's certainly nothing conclusive, Ms. Lane," J'onn told her calmly.

"Fine, I still think I'd like to have a little chat with him," Lois said, turning to walk briskly back to her desk.

"Whoa," Clark said, grabbing her arm. "I thought I would interview Davis while you follow up with Chloe on the meteor infected angle."

"Why, so she can shut me down, too?" Lois asked, looking pointedly at her arm, which he released immediately. Clark had already filled her in on the results of his talk with Chloe last night. It was a complete bust given Chloe's views on confidentiality with her counseling patients. "If you couldn't get the names of the meteor infected out of her, what makes you think I can?"

"Well, you're her cousin," Clark said slowly as he turned and walked back to his desk, surveying the tidy desktop with suspicion.

"Well, you're her best friend," Lois countered.

"I thought we already had some names?" J'onn interjected, holding up a folded piece of paper.

"Let me see that," Lois said, grabbing the paper from his hand. It was a list of several first and last names written in Clark's handwriting.

"Smallville!" she called, only to look up and find him gone.

Lois eyed J'onn, and she could see his questioning look mirroring the one on her own face.

"What just happened?" She asked.

"I'm afraid he's taken off on his own again," J'onn responded, concern showing.

"He's been doing that a lot lately, huh?"

"You heard our conversation?" J'onn pointed out. It was more of a statement than a question.

"Hello, nosy reporter," Lois replied pointing to herself and shrugging.

"Are you going to tell him that you know?" J'onn stepped closer and asked her quietly.

Lois stopped and considered the question, "Is he going to tell me?"

"Probably not," J'onn sighed and his tone reflected his concern. "I've watched Clark for a long time now. He's been taught never to reveal himself to anyone and, when his friends find out, they're constantly in danger …"

"I guess it's a good thing I'm always in danger anyway, huh?" Lois raised her brow and bumped J'onn in the shoulder the way she used to when they were in the trenches.

He shook his head, "I can tell you that Clark does not see that as a good thing."

"Well, he can't blame himself for all the trouble I get into …" Lois let her words trail off as she saw J'onn's doubtful expression. Suddenly she was struck by an idea. "How about we give Clark some help by doing some surveillance at the Isis Foundation?"

"Do I have any choice?" J'onn questioned, ruefully shaking his head. "Clark would never forgive me if I let anything happen. Besides, I took an oath to protect the citizens of Metropolis, even the reckless ones."

Lois laughed. J'onn was getting to know her well.

_**Daily Planet, same night**_

"Clark, did you give the police the names of my Isis group?"

Lois could hear Chloe by the glass doors near her desk. She paused. It was rare that Chloe sounded this hostile, especially with Clark. Dropping the papers she was copying, Lois walked out of the copy room to see what was going on.

"How could you betray me and my confidentiality with these kids?" Chloe demanded, voice rising as she marched up to his desk.

Lois walked over to her own desk and cleared her throat loudly. Clark was looking at Chloe with a vague expression, still trying to shift his focus from his computer to Chloe's questioning. Chloe leaned forward, growing angrier with Clark's lack of response. In spite of Clark's distant attitude toward her since the fight, Lois couldn't let Clark take the blame.

"Actually, Chloe," Lois said, choosing her words carefully. "The police didn't rely on any names; they performed surveillance outside the Isis Foundation-"

"How do you know that?" Chloe turned and confronted Lois.

"Because I was with them," Lois told her, taking a sip of her coffee and looking at Clark. He raised his brows in question. She smiled, telling him silently it was her idea.

"Lois, how could you?" Chloe asked, seemingly stunned.

"Well, they are potential suspects in the recent murders. I was checking them out without breaching your code of confidentiality, or whatever you call it," Lois said raising her brows in Clark's direction as he frowned. Clark was beginning to understand and, as usual, he didn't like it. Too bad; she was saving his bacon with his best friend.

"Why is everyone assuming that a member of my group is the killer?" Chloe said, outraged. She turned to Clark, "I can't believe you, of all people, are a member of this witch hunt …" Chloe trailed off when she realized what that statement may have revealed.

"_Witch hunt_ seems a little strong when the victims all ended up with their bones crushed. I know we're not doctors, but I think we can all agree _that's_ not normal," Lois responded, getting annoyed with Chloe's attitude. No one was condemning her group but they couldn't be ignored either.

"And how am I supposed to convince my group that it's safe to come back now, Lois? The Foundation is supposed to be a refuge, a safe-haven …" Chloe trailed off again, clearly nonplussed by either Lois' response or Clark's lack of one.

"We could find the real killer," Clark suggested. "There is another potential suspect." He glanced over at Lois, tightening his brows and frowning. Lois closed her mouth. His eyes were telling her that he was upset that she'd kept something from him … again. Lois sighed. She hadn't meant to, exactly. There just wasn't time to get him up to speed before tornado Chloe blew in.

_Crap. _She'd wanted to help Clark and instead she'd made him more upset.

"Here are the results of some tests that Davis Bloome was trying to hide from me today." Clark handed Chloe the lab results. "Can you make sense of them?" he asked with a knowing look.

Lois mentally kicked herself when she saw Chloe's eyes widen. It was clear that Chloe understood the complex results immediately. Whatever this Brainiac had done was still affecting her and Lois needed to get to the bottom of it. Problem was, traditional research wasn't working.

"Oh, no," Chloe said. "According to the lab, the skin under this victim's fingernails is Davis'."

"We need to track him down, then," Lois said, grabbing her phone to call the hospital. Chloe sat down at Clark's computer and, at the same time, his emergency scanner picked up a distress call. It was Jimmy's voice.

Clark looked at Chloe, his face reflecting the concern in hers.

"Go," Chloe and Lois said at the same time. They looked at each other and then back at Clark. Everyone froze for a second.

Chloe was the first to recover.

"You go ahead, Clark and we'll call the authorities," she said looking at Lois, who schooled her features and nodded, dialing 911. By the time she finished the call, Clark was gone.

For the next ten minutes, Chloe paced the floor and Lois couldn't tell if she was more concerned about Jimmy or, as Lois suspected, Davis. There was something about that guy. Either way, Lois couldn't take it anymore.

"Chloe, you can sit down any time now. Clark's seat isn't restricted or anything," she told her, trying to add some levity to the irritation in her voice.

Chloe stopped and looked at Lois, rolling her eyes at her cousin.

"Fine, I'll sit down when you stop chewing your thumbnail," she responded.

Lois immediately dropped her hand and watched as Chloe sat down in Clark's desk chair with a knowing smile. Since they were kids, Chloe always called Lois on the carpet for her nail biting.

A few more minutes went by as the two sat in thinking and worrying in silence and then Lois looked up to see her cousin's face at the desk across from hers. Her heart skipped a beat at the view and she wondered if there might be some advantages to re-living the past ... like saying the things you always wanted to the first time around.

"You know, I always pictured the two of us like this," Lois said motioning to the two desks pushed against each other, unable to resist smiling at her cousin.

Chloe's responsive smile was laced with sadness. "So did I."

"Do you miss it?" Lois asked, curious as to her cousin's response. Lately it was as if Lois didn't relate to her cousin as much, questioning her decision-making in several areas, including work and this sudden marriage.

"Sometimes," Chloe said after some reflection. She looked at Lois curiously.

"Come back, then," Lois invited, and at Chloe's shocked expression, added, "Luthorcorp still owns the place, but Lex isn't running things any more. Get back in the game."

Chloe's look of surprise turned to one of gratitude. "Thanks, Lois. That means a lot, but I think I'll stay where I-"

Chloe's phone rang, interrupting the moment. She held up one finger and turned away for a private conversation, while Lois picked up her own phone. Her conversation with Chloe had been short but it eased a large part of the tension in her heart since she'd started working at the Daily Planet. Lois could sense the gratitude from Chloe as well. No matter what, she was glad she'd asked Chloe to come back.

Now she had a rift to mend with Clark. After all this time, he hadn't come around. It was time for Lois to take action and get her partner back.

_**Daily Planet, next day**_

Like a thief, Lois snuck into the Bullpen at dinner time, evening edition in one hand, surprises in the other. She looked all around but everyone seemed to be out to dinner. She heard voices coming down the stairs and quickly placed the items on Clark's desk. He hadn't spoken to her once since the capture of the Club Killer and she was convinced he was still mad about her keeping things from him. After careful, and lonely, consideration last night, she'd come up with a plan.

Lois sat down in her chair and picked up the paper. Just in time, too. It was Clark and Jimmy. Peeking around the front page of the city section, she spoke up to get Jimmy's attention.

"Damn good photo, Olsen, I didn't know you had it in you," she said, turning the city section so that Jimmy's photo of the killer was visible. He beamed. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched as Clark looked at the flowers and candy sitting on his desk. He picked up the card.

"Yeah, I can't believe that after all our investigating, the killer turned out to be a member of Chloe's group," Jimmy told Lois, abashedly. "Evidently, he confessed to everything, including the killings at the club."

As Clark read the card, Lois could see his confused frown turn to a small smile. When he looked toward Lois, she quickly turned her gaze back to Jimmy.

"I know," Lois told Jimmy. "He was right under our noses and we missed it."

Lois glanced over again and watched as Clark place the card in his pocket and pick up the flowers. He caught her eye and raised his brows, his smile broadening. She didn't need to read the card to know what it said.

_To "Oliver," from Clark _

_P.S. Since you didn't take my advice, I decided to follow it myself. _

_Love, Lois_

The look in Clark's eyes was captivating, a mix of understanding, appreciation and some emotions Lois couldn't identify. Jimmy prattled on while Clark continued to hold her gaze with the warmth of his. Evidently, she'd done well, at least his expression was telling her she had. After a minute, Lois felt her face flush.

It was J'onn who broke the connection.

"Ahem," J'onn cleared his throat looking between the two of them. "Clark, I need to talk to you."

""Wait, are you a detective?" Jimmy asked, looking at the badge on J'onn's belt. "You look like a _thinking-outside-the-box_ kind of guy. Look, I'm pretty sure there's a Good Samaritan running around saving people in the city but I can't convince anyone in your department that he's real."

"Really …" J'onn said, at the same time that Clark warned, "Jimmy …" Lois looked between the three of them. What was this about?

J'onn continued, raising his eyebrows. "We could certainly use the help, but do you have any proof?"

"Oh, I'll get the proof," Jimmy continued, holding up his camera, and rocking on his heels enthusiastically. J'onn smiled at Jimmy's excitement but Lois didn't pay attention to his response.

She was caught up in the name _Good Samaritan._ Where had she heard that before?

_The Blur …_

Butterflies stirred at the name. That's who Jimmy's Samaritan turned out to be. She'd almost forgotten about him with her mission and everything else. Of course, after Oliver told her the Blur was dead she'd buried him in her memories and put all that hero worship stuff behind her.

Out of the corner of her eye, Lois saw Jimmy bounce away toward the elevator. Acting on impulse, she turned to follow. This time, she was getting in on the ground floor.

"Lois!" the tone of Clark's voice stopped her and she turned. Evidently, he'd been trying to get her attention. He had that look on his face. So did J'onn. She realized that they'd been talking while she was thinking.

"What? Spit it out, Smallville. I want to catch up to our ace photographer."

"J'onn came by to talk to you, too, Lois," Clark said, slowly walking toward her, a combination of fear and sympathy on his face. Lois fought her initial impulse to take a step back. Her eyes darted between them as she straightened and held her ground.

"As you know, today was the day the jeweler was being transported to Belle Reve …" J'onn began, trailing off.

"He escaped," Clark finished, knowing how she hated uncomfortable silences.

The whir of the lie detector filled Lois' head like static. Clark continued moving his mouth but she couldn't hear the words. Black started filling the edges of her vision and she knew what was coming.

Without a word, she nodded her head to both men, turned on her heel and walked away. It was Clark who found her in the copy room, leaning over the sorting table taking deep steady breaths.

"Lois?" he asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Lois battled the dark at the edge of her vision.

_Breathe in … out … in …_

"We'll catch him," he continued softly.

Nodding, Lois continued … _in, out, in …_

"Do you want to talk about it?" Clark asked quietly, uncertainly.

It was the uncertainty in his voice that fortified Lois. She knew what was coming, so she shook her head and straightened, facing Clark. With his hand on her shoulder, Lois could feel the warmth starting to spread.

"I won't live like a prisoner," she told him, trying to convey her determination through her stance.

Resigned, Clark sighed, "I know."

"And I don't need any twenty-four hour protection, or whatever," Lois added, waving her hand for emphasis.

"Right," Clark replied, with just a hint of a smile.

Lois narrowed her eyes, "Are you making fun of me?" She felt Clark squeeze her shoulder.

"Of course not," he repeated, leaning forward until his nose was almost touching hers. "There's only one solution to this problem," he told her.

"What's that?" She asked, hating the breathless quality of her voice. She swallowed again and licked her lips, suddenly mesmerized by the green flecks in his blue eyes.

She watched as those eyes darted to her mouth and his pupils dilated. Before she could react, Clark shook his head slightly and pulled back.

"I'm going to have to stick to you like glue," he said, pulling Lois gently against his chest. A sigh escaped her at the feeling of warmth and security.

"Think you can handle that?" Clark asked her.

She knew what he was doing, trying to forestall her objections with a challenge. Right now, she was too content to argue. Lois smiled against his chest.

"Oh, I can handle it, Kent," she told him. "I'm counting on the fact that you can't."

His laugh vibrated in her ear and she realized that it felt good to be honest with him.


	8. Chapter 7 Identity Impact

**CHAPTER SEVEN - IDENTITY IMPACT**

_**Metropolis, one week later**_

"Look, Jimmy, I believe you, I do," Lois was telling him, "but no one else will unless we get proof. Without a photo, this story is about as relevant as a five-part expose on the tooth fairy."

She was on a Blur hunt with Jimmy, not that Jimmy realized it. Last week, she would have been thrilled by the idea of finding the Blur. Now she was more excited about the chance to get away from Clark. When the man said he would stick to her like glue, he wasn't kidding. Even when she was able to sneak away for a little freedom, he was like a bloodhound, showing up unexpectedly in all sorts of unusual places. After finding him standing outside the ladies' room, she decided it would be easier to tell him where she was going and so she did, inviting him everywhere. It hadn't lasted long.

_"Clark, I'm going to the copier," Lois said as an experiment one day. "Want to come?" When he refused, she stayed seated at her desk._

_"Clark, I'm going to sharpen my pencil, interested?" Lois asked wiggling her eyebrows._

_He looked up, irritated, and she gave him a gloating look._

_His eyebrows rose in challenge, "Sure, Lois, let's go sharpen some pencils together."_

_She heard sniggering from some of their co-workers and gave him a death glare. His face flushed, but he didn't back down._

Currently they were working under an uneasy truce. Lois promised to carry a charged cell phone with her and to tell Clark if she was leaving the building. He called her incessantly and she hung up on him regularly.

Tonight her reprieve was short-lived. She and Jimmy were on their way to have dinner with Chloe and Clark at a small restaurant across town.

Coming out of her musings, Lois realized that Jimmy was still talking while they walked, trying to convince her that his hero was real. Lois let him go on, but as they turned a corner, she stopped listening. Her nerves went to high alert as she anticipated the attack she knew was coming.

Clark would kill her if he knew she was purposefully walking into a robbery.

When the guy jumped out from the alley and demanded her purse, Lois struggled to keep it from him and take off his ski mask. She was able to fight off the robber and expose him in fairly short order.

"Jimmy, get a picture of his face!" she yelled. That's when the robber pushed her into the path of the oncoming car. As primed as she was, she barely felt the arms that grabbed her and placed her on the other side of the street. Not even a glimpse of a face.

_Man, he's good_.

Lois stood there heart racing and blood pumping, determined to learn about the Blur this time. Nothing could stop her. She may have lost that hero worship when Oliver told her that Night killed the Blur but, with just a hint of his name, all of that excitement and all of those memories came back in full force. Now, the fascination seemed even stronger. After the bond they'd formed the first time, Lois was determined to find out who he was this time.

Trying to ignore the niggling feeling of guilt that came when she remember that her focus was supposed to be Clark, she looked across the street to see if Jimmy got the photo. He was staring at his camera while she stood there breathing heavily from the adrenaline and the excitement.

"Oh, my God," she heard him say. "It's him."

_He got it_.

_**Daily Planet, next day**_

Somehow, Lois wasn't surprised when she overheard Jimmy pitching the story to Clark the next morning.

"Does this have front page written all over it, or what?" Jimmy was telling Clark as Lois stopped at the door of the dark room. She'd planned to ask Jimmy about his photo.

"Jimmy, there's no way that Tess is going to publish an out of focus photograph," Clark replied. "I wouldn't even bother showing her."

"Too late, caught her in the elevator and she seemed mighty interested," Jimmy said excitedly. "She even agreed to let you write the copy."

"Don't you think you should ask me if I was interested first?" Clark replied, sounding irritated and, if Lois didn't know better, a little frightened. Surely, Clark wasn't worried about looking foolish in front of Tess?

"Clark, I was doing you a favor," Jimmy told Clark, sounding sincere. "I mean, this is a huge story. Look, I've been stuck in Lois' shadow ever since I landed at the Planet, and I'm pretty sure the same is true for you. It's time that we made names for ourselves."

Lois felt her heart constrict a little at that statement. She thought she'd given Jimmy and Clark a lot of story opportunities this time around. Did Clark resent her, too?

"I'd rather be stuck in Lois Lane's shadow than be in the spotlight for some make-believe story. Lois is where she is through hard-work and good instincts," Clark's indignant tone was enough to make Lois' heart swell. At least he wasn't feeling threatened by her.

As Lois stomped back to her desk, she couldn't suppress a snort. Olsen was trying to keep her away from the Blur story, _her_ story.

_Good luck with that_.

At her desk, she checked her messages and discovered that the guy who attacked her last night had been released on bond. Infuriated, she called Metropolis PD, _again_ and was hung up on, _again_. You'd think they could keep a robber in custody the second time around.

"There she is, the legendary Lois Lane."

Lois slammed down the phone and turned to see Sebastian Kane. Finally, something and someone she remembered. She tended to remember the ones who tried to kill her.

He was as charming as before but Lois knew to keep her hands busy when he introduced himself. He gave her the same story about having been a reporter in Iraq, and she told him about being an army brat.

"In that case, you know what it feels like to be the new kid," he said. "This is my first time in Metropolis. I still haven't quite gotten my bearings."

"You know what you need?" Lois offered, "Lois Lane's survival guide for the big city. I know all the tips and tricks."

"I got an idea," he said. "Why don't I take you out for dinner and you can share some of those secrets?"

"I'm busy tonight," Lois replied, trying to sound regretful when she was really trying to avoid getting killed, "but how about coffee tomorrow?"

"Uhm, sure," he said. "See you tomorrow."

Even with her memory of these events, Lois needed to review her flash drive at the farm. It contained the information she'd stolen from Lex about the meteor infected at Black Creek, along with their powers. Lois knew Sebastian Kane would be on it; he could read people's memories with a touch. That's how he'd learned she was on to him last time because Lois had foolishly let him read her palm. The problem was that she didn't know why he had been interested in her in the first place. Had someone hired him or was he working solo? All she knew was that Kane would have shot her if it hadn't been for the Blur.

Now she had even more secrets to protect and was less interested in Kane as a story and more concerned with him as a threat. Maybe she should reconsider and handle this sooner rather than later. Lois caught Sebastian on the stairs and made arrangements to meet him that night. This time around, she planned to call in reinforcements.

_**Kent farm, that night**_

Lois could hear the door slam up in her room, where she was putting on her earrings. What had happened? Clark never slammed the door unless he was upset.

_Uh, oh_.

He was already upset and now she'd have to explain her plans. She'd been hoping to avoid him all together. It'd been fun last time trying to make him squirm. This time, it felt wrong, not that they were any more than just friends right now. Her strike first plan had faded to a distant memory after the jeweler's escape. What if she lost Clark completely? As much as she hated to admit it, she needed him. Even if he didn't commit to her, she didn't want to lose him again, _couldn't_ lose him again.

She double-checked her reflection in the mirror. The little red dress might be too much tonight. Last time, she'd worn it to distract Kane but it hadn't really worked. He'd still figured out her plan.

Snatching a more conservative skirt and blouse from the closet, she walked out into the hall toward the bathroom and ran head-on into Clark. While he managed to hang on to the laundry basket he was carrying, Lois dropped her clothes.

Shifting the basket so he could hold it in one arm, Clark bent down to retrieve the skirt and blouse. He was already out of his work clothes and in jeans and a gray t-shirt that Lois couldn't remember having seen before. His eyes, which met hers when he handed over her clothes, were now the light color of the shirt he wore. Her breath caught at the beautiful color. Man, he looked good in gray.

Clark had to clear his throat before she realized he was standing there with her clothes in his hands, waiting impatiently for her to take them. It was when he handed them over that she noticed his expression; Clark's stress level was high.

_What's going on now?_

Thinking back on the day, it hit her that Clark hadn't called her more than two times today, a record low since he'd started watching out for the escaped jeweler.

"Where are you going dressed like that?" He demanded, as irritation flashed in those beautiful light gray eyes.

"What's wrong with how I'm dressed?" Lois asked, annoyed by his tone. Clark had become far too dictatorial since the jeweler escaped. The guilt she was feeling about tonight's little escapade started to fade.

"Uhm, nothing," Clark's irritation diminished with her question and he looked flustered. "I just … where are you going?" He finished, face flushing.

"Actually, I'm going on a date," Lois said, the guilt starting to resurface at Clark's flustered appearance. Her heart began to race as she realized just how much she enjoyed making him flustered …

"A date?" Clark asked and Lois watched the hurt appear in his eyes before he quickly masked it.

"Yes, a date," Lois said stepping forward and looking directly at him. "When a guy likes a girl he asks her out." Unable to resist, she put a hand on his chest right above his heart. She could feel its erratic beat and her fingers started to curl.

Clark swallowed and stepped back, "I know what a date is."

"Right, that's why you're doing laundry tonight," Lois replied, looking pointedly at the basket in his hands and raising her brows with a smile.

"At least I know how to dress for a date," Clark muttered, moving to step around her.

"Excuse me, what did you say?" Lois asked, moving to block Clark's path. Guilty or not, she was not letting him get away with that.

"Nothing," Clark muttered again, putting his head down and stepping to the left to try to get around Lois.

Lois moved to her right and stepped in front of Clark again. "Well then, can you help a girl out?" She asked, turning her back to him. If he was going to make snide remarks, he deserved a little flustering. This had certainly done the trick before. Besides, it'd been too long since he touched her … "I need a zip."

Holding onto the forgotten skirt and blouse with one hand, she lifted her hair with the other. Her breathing stopped as she waited for the feel of his warm hands on her skin. When she felt the heat, followed by his smooth fingers as he slid the zipper up, she released her breath. Instead of stopping, Clark's hands continued softly up her back to her shoulders. An involuntary shiver ran through her. He hadn't done that before.

"Who is this guy?" He asked, his voice close behind her sounding low in Lois' ear as he squeezed her shoulders.

"New guy at the Planet," Lois replied, a little breathless. The urge to lean back against him was overwhelming.

"You're going out with someone you've never met before when the jeweler is on the loose?" Clark said incredulously. "I don't think so."

Lois sighed and stepped away. Leave it to Clark to ruin the moment by arguing about her safety.

"Look, I'm meeting him at the Ace of Clubs and J'onn will be there," she replied, trying not to think about Clark's warm, strong hands as she turned to look at him.

"Why will J'onn be there?"

"Because we had plans for later, so he said he'd wait at the bar for me," Lois told him. "I thought you could use a break from babysitting."

Clark narrowed his eyes but when Lois continued to hold his gaze, he face relaxed a little.

"Actually, I do have a few things to do tonight," he told her, trying one more time to move around her to get down the stairs.

"I didn't realize laundry was such a priority," she teased, looking at the basket in his hands as she blocked his way one more time.

When he gave her a steady look, she stepped aside. Whatever was bothering him was serious. He wasn't taking her bait. Lois was contemplative as she finished dressing in her room. What could be bothering Clark now? For once, it wasn't something about her. He'd agreed to let her go to the city without much of a fight and hadn't even given her grief about her date.

Her last thought lingered depressingly as Lois left her room. Before she could reach the stairs, she heard voices.

"Jimmy, I thought I told you I'm not interested in the byline for some make-believe story," Clark sounded irritated.

Lois stopped. It sounded like Jimmy was still trying to pitch her story to Clark. She wasn't going to let that happen, but she stopped at the top of the stairs, wanting to be sure.

"You're going to change you tune once you see my research," Jimmy said. "I think the Good Samaritan started saving lives right here in Smallville."

"That's a pretty random leap." Clark said.

"Not really." Jimmy replied, and Lois heard him pause. "Teen Mysteriously Saved in Lake, Girl Rescued in Robbery, Freak Accident Saves Woman," Jimmy sounded like he was reading headlines.

_Chloe's stories?_

"All those happened around the time that you and Chloe were in the ninth grade." Jimmy continued, confirming Lois' theory. Of course, Clark started helping people around that time …

"...all the people involved went to Smallville High," Jimmy continued. "Then right around the time you and Chloe graduated, these mysterious incidents, started …" Jimmy seemed to lose his train of thought. "They started popping up more often in Metropolis."

"What's your point?" Clark asked.

"I was just wondering if anyone at Smallville High stood out." Jimmy paused again. "You know, had hero potential."

For someone so convinced of his theory, Jimmy seemed to be awfully distracted. What was going on down there?

"No, not that I can think of," Clark told him.

Then Lois caught her breath at Clark's next words. "Even if this guy did exist, don't you think it's his decision to go public?"

Lois didn't hear Jimmy's response because her head was spinning.

_Could Clark be the Blur? No, it's not possible_.

Oliver told her that Night killed the Blur. Why would he lie about that? And yet, in her gut, Lois was starting to believe Jimmy's theory. So much of it made sense – the powers, the isolation, the hero complex. At the thought, Lois had to grab the rail for support. For her, the implications were staggering. She needed to listen.

"Be careful with that Jimmy, it's fragile." Clark's voice was raised in alarm. "Since when do you take such an interest in my family's photographs?"

_Photographs _…

Lois could see all the family photos in her mind, but the most prominent featured Mr. and Mrs. Kent standing at the farm with Clark, who was wearing that plain red jacket, the one he wore all the time, usually with a blue t-shirt.

Of course, Jimmy was looking at the red and blue. Lois hadn't really noticed it earlier but Clark's laundry basket had been overflowing with those colors.

_Trying to hide it or get rid of it?_

"Look, Jimmy, I've got a lot of work to do," Clark said and Lois heard the door open. "I've got to fix the tractor, so-"

"It's all so clear," Jimmy said quietly. "That's what's been going on between you and Chloe. She's known this whole time."

"Jimmy, you're not making any sense," Clark sounded desperate.

Problem was, for once, Jimmy was making perfect sense. One thing Oliver had made clear was that Chloe had known about Clark's abilities for a long time.

"No, it makes perfect sense," Jimmy said, vocalizing Lois' thoughts. "It's you, isn't it?"

Lois waited but there was no denial from Clark. The silence was like a confirmation. Why hadn't she seen it, especially after she learned about Clark's powers? Of course, Night always flew; she'd never seen him use super speed …

There was one way to find out - she had to see Clark and look into his eyes. The truth would be there.

Making sure her footsteps were heard on the stairs, Lois walked into the kitchen and came to an abrupt halt as she saw all the confirmation she needed in Clark's expression. He looked completely panicked, almost sick with it, not that Jimmy could necessarily tell, but Lois knew that look all too well. There was only one reason Clark would be so alarmed. One look in his eyes and she saw it …

Clark Kent was the Blur.

Her thoughts in turmoil, Lois still tried to prevent her sharp intake of breath but couldn't keep completely quiet. Clark's eyes snapped to hers and she realized he'd heard her. The tension continued to build until Lois had to act. She turned to Jimmy, responding to the fear in Clark's eyes, even though her own emotions were churning.

"Hey, Jimmy, what are you doing here? You never showed me your photo from last night; is that it?"

"Uhm, yeah, Lois, here it is." Jimmy handed her the photo, lifting his eyes to Clark.

"Kind of blurry, isn't it?" Lois asked, trying to distract Jimmy. "Where's this hero?"

"What?" Jimmy responded. "Right there, Lois. He's just so fast that he's a blur on the photo."

"This is it? I thought there'd be more, like … I don't know … a face?" Lois challenged, hoping a little challenge would do the trick.

"Come on, Lois; this guy …" Jimmy looked up at Clark again and paused. "Uhm, he's really fast."

"So you're telling me that this person saved me and I didn't feel anything?" Lois scoffed.

"That's just how good he is," Jimmy responded, getting irritated and shoving the photo into Lois' hands. "You said we needed a photo. Here it is."

He happened to take his eyes off of Clark and the photo long enough to look at Lois this time. "Wow, you look great. Where you going all dressed up?"

Lois smiled weakly at Jimmy, glancing out of the corner of her eyes at the door. Clark was gone.

_**Metropolis, same night**_

Walking to meet Jimmy, Lois was feeling a little out of it from the earlier events at the Ace of Clubs. She was also wishing she'd worn more comfortable shoes. Overall, the day was starting to catch up with her. How did Clark do it? Oh, right, he had super speed.

_Clark Kent's the Blur_.

Lois was still trying to grasp the idea. Just when she thought she knew everything about him, he threw her another curve ball. He'd been doing that since they met. In her mind she could hear his comments years ago while they were walking to Chloe's safe house.

_"That doesn't happen to you often, does it?"_

_"What?" Lois asked._

_"Not being able to peg someone right away," Clark concluded._

_"Oh, get over yourself, you are not that complicated."_

She wouldn't admit it back then, but he was right. Lois was pretty good at figuring men out; she'd had a lot of practice on the different military bases. It was a survival skill she depended on. Clark had never fit any of the known patterns. He still didn't.

Lois pulled her phone out of her trench coat and dialed J'onn's number. It was nice to have back up.

"Are you in costume?" She asked, listening for the response.

"I'm sure you look great. I'm about five minutes away," Lois responded to the voice on the other end. She listened further.

"All right, I'll look for you when I get there … and remember to be quick," Lois hung up.

There was an angry part of her that wondered why she was trying to help Clark right now. After all, he hadn't just kept secrets, he'd lied to her. He'd pretended to be someone else, talking to her, letting her tell him things … things she'd never told anyone else. She'd even talked to the Blur about Clark. How could she have been so stupid?

Then it hit her that she was upset about things that _this_ Clark hadn't done. Wrapping her mind around that concept was difficult when she'd lived through these events already. Either way, she knew she couldn't hold Clark's future decisions or, was it past decisions, against him. That would defeat the whole purpose of her mission. This time travel thing was giving her a headache. Couldn't the Future Kids have at least mentioned that Clark was the Blur?

Now her perspective had changed. Hooking up with Clark Kent was one thing but knowing he was the Blur was something else entirely. The Blur had once consumed her thoughts; talking to him had been the highlight of her day.

Knowing he was Clark all along …

Her breath hitched and her body trembled at the thought. Reconciling the two was going to take some time. Right now, Lois was afraid that the two of them combined made for a person who could consume her completely, take her whole heart.

Rubbing her forehead as if that would ease her jumbled thoughts, Lois halted in the middle of the sidewalk as she felt an uncomfortable sensation hit her gut, one she'd felt on and off for the past few days. Taking slow steps, she looked around but saw nothing, yet she could feel eyes watching her. Picking up the pace, she practically ran to the next street light.

The sound of her phone made her jump as it rang. Quickly, she checked the caller ID. It was Jimmy. She'd have to give him credit. He'd put it together all on his own and, after Clark left, kept his theories to himself, promising to meet her later tonight in Metropolis for some hero hunting.

"I'm walking a mile to get there and my feet are killing me, so you'd better not be canceling," Lois answered.

"Uh, no, I just wanted to tell you that C.K. is with me. I didn't think you'd mind," Jimmy told her.

"Clark is with you?" Lois asked.

"Sure, uhm, he wanted to go hero hunting with us," Jimmy replied.

"Okay, but tell him no nonbelievers on this excursion … and he'll need to keep up," Lois smirked as she disconnected. That should put him in his place. What was Clark up to anyway? He wouldn't be out with Jimmy unless he was trying to put him off the scent.

This could be a problem.

She tried calling J'onn but got no answer. Throwing her phone back in her purse, she turned the corner and stopped, looking for him. Up on the roof top she saw movement. Relieved, she started walking but then she saw more movement on the rooftop two buildings down. A flash of red caught her eye.

_Crap_.

Lois started running, pulling the phone out of her pocket. She could see Jimmy and Clark walking up the street together and a car driving slowly past her toward the two men. Lois was waving her arms in the air, making it look like she was trying to get Jimmy's attention, not really caring if Jimmy saw her. She was signaling J'onn.

_Don't let me screw this up_.

Just as Clark and Jimmy started across the street toward Lois, the car Lois had seen earlier accelerated and headed straight for the two men.

A shout caught in Lois' throat as she moved to warn Clark and Jimmy. Before she could do anything, a figure in blue and red swooped down and push the men out of the car's path. The caped champion continued on as the car sped away, rising through the night until he was standing at the top of the building across the street, red fabric billowing in the breeze.

Lois stopped in her tracks and watched as Clark pointed out the figure to Jimmy, who immediately started taking pictures. The flash of the camera was bright on the darkened street, and passersby seemed drawn to it like moths to flame, crowding around Jimmy and Clark, looking up, their faces filled with excitement and awe at the red-caped hero on the roof.

Jimmy was obviously fooled by the substitute but not Lois. She knew what this was because her plan had been exactly the same. Somewhere J'onn was waiting on the roof ready to swoop down and save the day. He was even wearing the same cape. Lois would've laughed if she hadn't been so engrossed in Clark's reaction to the crowd. As he looked around, Lois could see his surprise at the people's obvious enthusiasm.

Would the man ever understand his own value?

Lois shook her head. Of course not; he was a mild-mannered farm boy first and foremost. Standing on the street surrounded by people admiring a substitute Blur, it was if a blindfold had been removed. All of the pride and admiration she felt for the Blur transferred to its rightful recipient. Clark was the real hero, not seeking attention or accolades, but simply trying to do the right thing like his parents had taught him to do.

_Clark will save people without asking anything in return. Surely you can give some of that back to him?_

Garth's words propelled her toward the object of her admiration but, before she could start toward Clark, Lois was stopped by a hand covering her mouth. Quickly she was jerked back toward the alley behind her. Within seconds she was kicking her legs but it didn't work as the man simply lowered her until her feet were dragging. She tried to bite his hand but her captor knew enough to keep it flat across her mouth. She struggled against the arm around her but it was large, effectively keeping her pinned.

"Stop it," the man muttered in her ear as she continued to struggle. "I'm just here for the blue crystal and then I'll let you go."

_The blue crystal?_

Lois hadn't seen it since the night she went to the mansion. Had Tess sent this guy? Headlights appeared and Lois increased her struggles. If they got to the car, she was a goner. When her struggles making no difference, she changed strategies and let her body go limp.

Her captor grunted under the additional weight but didn't lessen his grip. He kept dragging her closer to the car, so Lois let her head drop along with her body, stiffened her feet against the pavement and slammed the back of her head as hard as she could into the kidnapper's face. That did it. His hand loosened enough for Lois to shout out before he covered it again.

In a flash, the red-caped hero who saved Clark and Jimmy dropped down in front of Lois and her captor.

"Let her go," a familiar voice called out.

_Oliver?_ Lois squinted toward the mouth of the dark alley.

Picking up her foot, she slammed it into the leg of her assailant. He cried out but didn't release her. Instead, his grip tightened.

"Stay out of this," his gravelly voice warned.

A commotion erupted in the car behind them and her captor quickly pulled her to the side, trying to adjust to this new situation as he faced two potential threats. She turned her head but saw nothing behind the bright headlights except the rocking of the car.

Oliver stepped forward, and Lois felt the hand on her mouth shift and tighten.

"Come any closer and I'll snap her neck," the guy threatened and Lois knew he was in the right position to do it.

Oliver must have known it too because he stopped moving. Before Lois could attempt another diversion, the activity in the car stilled and a second figure emerged, also wearing a red cape.

"What the ..." her kidnapper queried. "Now there are two of you?"

For a minute no one moved. Then Lois felt a stiff breeze behind her and her assailant dropped like a stone.

Her legs gave out just as two sets of hands reached for her simultaneously. She looked at the caped crusaders and smiled.

"You guys look cute in your matching outfits," Lois smirked at them and watched with amusement as Oliver and J'onn warily eyed each other's costumes.

"Excuse me, caped wonders, but can we get out of here?" Lois rolled her eyes as each one assumed his best tough guy expression.

Oliver reached out to pull on one arm, while J'onn tugged on the opposite one. Lois gave both of them a direct stare and jerked her arms away. Shaking her head, she ran to the mouth of the alley, wanting to get some by-stander quotes to go with Jimmy's pictures. Besides, if she stuck around, she might feel compelled to point out that these two substitutes were not as good together as one real Blur.

_**Kent farm, same night**_

Sleep wouldn't come no matter what Lois tried. The events of the night kept replaying in her head. Sighing she rolled over and flipped the pillow, laying back on the cool side. The clock on the nightstand said one in the morning.

The two red-caped heroes had been a bit of a concern. Luckily, Clark couldn't say anything to her about it without revealing himself. He truly had been a blur when he'd dropped her captor. With her eyes closed, Lois could feel the breeze on her skin where he'd passed behind. She shivered under the sheets, releasing her breath slowly.

Thank goodness her other two rescuers hadn't been seen by the public. Even Jimmy would have known something was up if he'd seen two Good Samaritans running around in red capes.

She had to assume that Oliver agreed to help Clark while J'onn had dressed up at Lois' request.

Did that mean that Oliver had forgiven Clark? Lois hoped so; she missed her sparring partner. He'd been the playboy since her birthday party and Lois wasn't the only one feeling the loss of his company. Chloe and Clark both had been acting sulky at any mention of their absent friend. If she believed the tabloids then hero work, even the substitute kind, would be good for Oliver. Of course, she'd have some explaining to do the next time she saw him. Oliver would definitely be grilling her about why there was another guy posing as the Blur. Lois chuckled to herself. Even the upcoming interrogation would be worth it to have him back.

Of course, she'd really like to confront him about lying to her but, since he'd done it in the future, she couldn't really mention it. After mulling it over, she'd come up with her own answer anyway. Oliver had been bitter about Clark and was always trying to downplay his contributions to their little group. Besides, he knew that Lois practically idolized the Blur and he was probably trying to protect her feelings because she'd been upset enough about Clark turning into Night.

_Night – not going there_.

Lois shifted again on her pillow and forced herself to think about something else. The earlier part of her evening came to mind, given the outcome. Her date with Sebastian Kane had taken a startling turn at the Ace of Clubs.

_Walking across the floor, Lois spotted J'onn in the back and started to make her way toward him. It wasn't until she was halfway across the room that she noticed Sebastian moving to intercept her from the direction of the bar._

_"Lois Lane," he waved to get her attention over the sound of the crowd._

_Lois smiled and waved back, turning her head to make sure that J'onn could see them. When Sebastian was closer, Lois pointed out J'onn's table._

_"I see a friend here that I need to talk to," Lois told Kane. "Come with me and you can meet him … all part of the tour."_

_"Sure," Sebastian told her, falling in step with Lois. "I really appreciate you doing this tonight. You look fabulous, by the way."_

_Lois smiled and smoothed down the front of her dress, subtly avoiding the hand that Kane extended in her direction._

_When they reached J'onn's table, Lois made sure to stand on Sebastian's left, where she could reach out to Kane's left hand just as J'onn shook his right. It was their first plan of attack, J'onn's idea really, to momentarily short-circuit Sebastian's abilities by flooding him with more than one set of memories._

Lois rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling. When they both touched Kane, Lois wasn't expecting to feel the head pain that accompanied her own memories of the future but being propelled to the future was never something she could predict.

_It was over and, for the first time, she felt like the prisoner, or was it the prize, she was supposed to be._

_Feeling defeated, Lois sank down on the edge of the bed, pulling Oliver's silk sheet more tightly to wrap around her, her other hand rubbing the scars along the column of her throat._

_Night was gone and Clark was truly lost. Failure was not supposed to be an option and yet here she was staring it in the face. It had been snatched away by the very man she was trying to save. After Clark had returned to his body, he'd reverted to Night when faced with the guilt caused by his own actions. Lois had seen the awareness return to Night's eyes, watched as Clark's memories surfaced, and heard the primal cry wrenched from him when he remembered what he had done._

_If she'd only known ahead of time that she was getting close, she could have responded but everything happened so fast. In some ways, she was still shocked by what had brought him back to himself. All of her escape attempts, all of her yelling at him, talking to him, and none of that had worked. Instead, he had responded to something so simple … or maybe not so simple. Why? Did all creatures have but one basic desire, despite what the Darkness tried to twist and turn within them?_

_Lost in her own thoughts, Lois jumped when she heard her nickname._

_"Lieutenant?" J'onn called from the balcony door. Lois couldn't look in that direction. Night had flown out those doors just minutes ago._

_When she heard J'onn move stealthily into the room, she looked up through her lashes, not bothering to hide the pain of her failure. After all, J'onn would see it in her thoughts soon enough._

_"Lieuten - Lois, are you all right?"_

_In response Lois let the tears fall. _

Wrapping her arms around herself, Lois watched the moonlight play across the ceiling. Even now her memories touched her, filled her with the emotional fallout from that morning. Of course, at the club, the feelings were even stronger.

_Lois dropped to her knees. Her heart was pounding furiously; she took a few deep breaths and waited until the hammering in her chest eased, while simultaneously looking for J'onn, who sitting at the booth with his eyes closed. When Lois tried to get up, she realized that Kane was sprawled in front of her, out cold._

_Slowly she became aware that other patrons were bending over asking her questions. Ignoring them, she called out to Sebastian, gently slapping him in the face when there was no response. She felt for a pulse and found it, letting out a sigh of relief._

_Her peripheral vision picked up J'onn's movement and she could see him reach for his pocket as she continued to call out to Kane._

_"I've called 911," J'onn's voice whispered in her ear after a couple of minutes. "What happened?"_

_"I don't know," Lois told him, lowering her voice. "I think our plan worked but I didn't expect him to pass out."_

_While J'onn handled the bystanders, Lois continued to call Sebastian's name. After a few minutes, his head started moving. When he let out a small groan and opened his eyes, Lois removed her hands._

_"Hey, Sebastian, are you all right?" Lois asked, relieved that he'd finally regained consciousness._

_A blank look was his only response._

Lois grimaced as she continued to watch the play of the moon across the ceiling. Turns out that Kane had complete amnesia and his abilities appeared to be gone as well. She hadn't intended for things to go that far, but it was still a better outcome for him than the last time she'd lived through these events. Back then, Sebastian had died in the hospital after trying to kill her.

Lois sighed, rolled over and turned her pillow again. Kane's memory loss wasn't the only unexpected consequence of their plan. J'onn had been affected by their contact as well.

_"So, you've found out that Clark is Jimmy's Good Samaritan," J'onn said, standing with Lois while they put Kane into the ambulance._

_"How do you know that?" Lois responded, letting her surprise show. They hadn't even been talking about Clark. After the future memory, Lois was specifically avoiding the subject._

_"I could hear it in your thoughts," J'onn said, a sense of wonder appearing in his eyes, along with that sparkle that Lois knew so well from their future time together._

_"How is that possible?" Lois whispered. "I thought you lost your powers."_

_"Something about Kane's meteor ability must have triggered my natural ability," J'onn responded, his brows wrinkled as he concentrated. "It doesn't feel like anything else has returned, just the thought processing."_

_"Thought processing, is that what you call it these days?" Lois teased. Before J'onn could respond, Lois turned serious, asking the question she'd been dying to ask since they started this conversation. "Does that mean you know why I'm here?"_

_"I do … Lieutenant."_

_Lois smiled. "Then how would you like to help me with a mission?"_

_"Why do I get the feeling I'm not going to like this?" J'onn said ruefully, shaking his head._

Snuggling into the covers, Lois relished the idea of having J'onn back. She hadn't missed the Darkness or the things that went with it, but she missed her brothers in battle. Now at least someone besides her could share in some of her memories of the future-

A noise in the kitchen interrupted her thoughts and made her sit up in bed. Heart pounding, Lois grabbed the knife she kept under her pillow and waited. When she didn't hear any other sounds below, she threw off the covers and headed for the door. Tonight wasn't made for sleeping, evidently.

Knife at the ready, Lois stopped at the top of the stairs. A dim light was shining from the kitchen and so she crept quietly down the stairs. On the landing, she spotted Clark standing at the refrigerator, with only the light from the refrigerator showing his profile, as he drank milk right out of the bottle. Just the sight of him stopped her dead in her tracks. He was half-naked, wearing only his sweatpants with his chest bare. His hair was tousled from sleep and he looked … incredible.

When he didn't immediately respond to her presence, she let her eyes drink him in, starting at the floor with his masculine feet, which were bare, long and narrow. Continuing upward, even the gray sweats couldn't hide the outline of his well-developed legs, narrow hips and firm … back. Without his usual t-shirt, Lois could see his tanned chest and powerfully built arms.

Her mouth started to water.

Mesmerized now, her eyes followed one of those arms as it turned the bottle up to his own full lips, which wrapped around the opening as he drank. She watched as his throat muscles worked when he swallowed and felt her body temperature start to rise. Even when he lowered the bottle and placed it on the shelf, she couldn't drag her eyes away.

"Lois, what are you doing up?"

Clark's words were directed at the refrigerator as he stood with one arm resting on top of it. The fact that he wasn't looking at her made Lois wonder if he knew that she was staring at his profile. Feeling slightly dazed by the thought, Lois backed up to the bottom step, gripping the hand rail tightly with one hand while she tucked her knife behind her in the other.

When she didn't respond, Clark turned to face her, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, while Lois felt her undisciplined gaze followed the trail of it across his lips. She felt herself swallow, hard.

_He's the Blur_.

She released a shaky breath.

_Get a grip, Lane_.

"Your mother would tell you to get a glass," she pointed out, trying to bring her mind back to the reality of the situation.

"But you won't, will you?" He asked softly, running his hands through his hair, his eyes everywhere but on her.

Lois could only shake her head at the tenor of his voice. Was that affection she heard mixed with the exasperation?

Surprisingly, Clark was the one to break the silence. "Couldn't sleep?"

"Heard a noise down here," Lois told him, her voice sounding gravelly from sleep or a lack of it, she wasn't sure which. Maybe it was from seeing Clark all bare from the waist up.

"Hmm, usually you can sleep through the sound of a marching band ... unless you were already awake?"

"Just thinking about things," she replied, wincing a little at her imprecise answer.

"Things … like what, your date? How was it?" Clark asked, finally closing the refrigerator door and plunging the kitchen in darkness.

"Typical," Lois responded with a smirk. "He left in an ambulance."

She could see Clark's white teeth flash in the now darkened room, "Wasn't your type, I take it?"

Lois turned serious, "It wasn't really a date, Clark. I was working on a story. The guy was one of Lex's lab rats at Black Creek. I recognized him."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

In the light of day, Lois would have produced a glib response but in the intimacy of the dark kitchen, the truth spilled out.

"He was dangerous, Clark. He could read peoples' memories and thoughts. You didn't need to be exposed to that." The passion in her words hit her when Clark didn't react. Standing by the kitchen counter he eventually responded, his voice low and sincere.

"Thanks for trying to protect me."

His words sent a tingle through Lois. Was he talking about the date or the later Blur bungle? It was a little thrilling to think that he knew that she knew …

"Anytime, Smallville," Lois told him, intentionally giving her voice a lighter tone. The darkness and the lack of dress, combined with his suspicions - everything was getting too intense. "That's what friends are for. After all, you've been babysitting me for a week. Only fair and all that …" She drifted off when she realized she was babbling.

"Well, looks like Jimmy got his story. Metropolis has its own hero," Clark said, gauging her reaction and Lois tried to suppress an involuntary shiver. Had Clark seen both substitute Blurs?

"Actually, Jimmy got the photos but I got the quotes from the crowd. Looks like Lane and Olsen will be pooling their resources on this exclusive."

"Oh, I thought you didn't share bylines …"

Unsaid but clear as day was _except with me_. That was interesting. Lois wondered if Clark was becoming possessive about their working relationship, too.

"Well, this is a big story-" Lois began eagerly, without thinking, and then she saw Clark's body tense at her words. Despite everything that had happened tonight, he was still worried about his identity. Lois took a deep breath.

"Actually," she started over, trying to ease Clark's tension. "This is more than a story. This hero represents hope for a city that desperately needs some right now."

"How do you know this guy is what the city needs?" Clark's asked her, uncertainty in his tone.

"Are you kidding? You should hear the quotes I got from the people tonight, like 'I'm glad there's someone out there willing to help,' and 'It's great that our city has its own super hero …' I must have taken a dozen or more statements like that," Lois answered unable to hide the enthusiasm in her voice. "Metropolis is lucky to have someone like him running around."

In the shadows, she could see Clark push himself away from the counter.

"You don't really believe that, do you? This guy could be some kind of freak … some kind of meteor freak, I mean."

Lois felt her heart jump in reaction to his insecurity and, while she could understand it, her heart yearned to give him confidence.

_Clark will save people without asking anything in return. Surely you can give some of that back to him?_

The words rushed out of her as she tried to make Clark understand that his heritage was so unimportant in the scheme of things, that he wasn't alone, and that this was about the person he was choosing to be. The man needed some confidence and, if she could, she would give that to him.

"Of course I believe it! He's exactly what Metropolis needs. Personally, I don't care if he's a meteor freak, Elvis come back from the dead, or the E.T., the extraterrestrial. What's important is what he's choosing to do with his talents. He's a hero, saving people without asking anything in return. That's all that matters."

Clark stood frozen, his eyes fixed on her face. He'd stayed that way during her entire tirade, unblinking and unmoving. In the dim light she let her gaze meet his and the intensity of his floored her. For the first time that night, shirtless Clark was making her nervous. Her hand reached for her neck and, next thing she knew, Clark was in front of her, gently pulling her hand away and lightly rubbing circles in her palm.

"Do you mean that?" He asked quietly and, in the glow of the hall light, Lois could see the wonder in his eyes, as if she'd given him a great gift.

"Of course," she responded in a whisper, voice trapped in the beauty of his expression and the comfort of his hand on hers. His wide eyes were like that of a little boy and Lois was enthralled by the appreciation she saw in them. He even stood a little taller as if her words had worked their desired effect. She felt herself straighten in response. Maybe this was the real reason she was sent back and, if so, she seemed to be making progress. It felt good.

Then, still grinning, Clark leaned forward, supporting himself by placing his other hand against the wall. Lois felt surrounded by his body heat and his scent; her eyelids fluttered as delicious sensations filled her body in response to the closeness of his. Looking through her lashes, she waited, eyes on Clark's smiling mouth. Eventually, he leaned in and gave her a quick peck on the cheek.

"Thank you, Lois," he said, still grinning like an idiot.

Lois couldn't help but smile back. He looked so carefree. "For what?"

As his smile faded, she mentally kicked herself for reminding him of his secret. She watched the play of emotions cross his face as he considered an honest answer.

"For giving me hope … for this hero," he told her stepping back, his eyes no longer meeting hers. "You know, I'm surprised you settled for bystander quotes and didn't go after the hero himself," he commented, and Lois recognized her own distraction technique being used against her.

Still lost in the sensation of having Clark's smiling face so close and having him touch her hand and kiss her cheek, Lois responded without thinking, "No, I think it should be his decision to go public," she said seriously.

Clark's gaze slammed in to hers at her response, suspicion and fear evident, just as she remembered that she'd overheard Clark say those same words to Jimmy earlier in the evening.

_Great, now Clark knows I was eavesdropping_.

"Anyway," Lois interrupted before Clark could ask questions she wasn't ready to answer, "I won't need to go after this hero." Needing to distance herself from him before he could get the truth out of her, she turned, hiding the knife in front of her as she started up the stairs.

"What makes you think you won't need to go after this hero?" Clark's voice followed her, his tone suspicious.

Looking over her shoulder, Lois raised her eyebrows suggestively and placed one hand on her hip. "He'll come looking for me when he's ready."

"You don't know that. This guy may not want any publicity-"

"People will want answers, Clark, and this man's a hero which means he's helpful. Soon, he'll want to give those answers," after her recent debacle Lois spoke carefully, not wanting to reveal that she'd dealt with this hero in the past and that she knew he would turn to her eventually.

"Even if you're right, what makes you think he'll come to you?"

Lois grinned at him and wiggled her brows, trying to tease Clark out of his suspicions, "Hello … because I'm me."

For once Clark didn't roll his eyes at her but narrowed them instead and, even in the dim light, the emotions in them sent Lois running.

"Yes, you are," he responded, his husky voice drifting up the stairs and sending Lois' heart into overdrive.

Slamming her bedroom door behind her, Lois stood with her back against it, trying to calm her racing heart. The look Clark gave her just now was almost ... predatory. What had she done or said to cause that kind of reaction? He'd never reacted to her teasing like that before unless he'd experienced elevated endorphins. Replaying everything in her head didn't help. There was nothing.

As Lois crawled back into bed she realized that running from that kind of look was probably counterproductive but, right now, she needed to get her emotions in check. Knowing Clark was the Blur changed things. Developing a confident Clark changed things. A girl needed time to recover. 


	9. Chapter 8 Committed Complete

**This Chapter is dedicated to Briee, my friend and inspiration, because everything she writes comes from the heart. **

**CHAPTER EIGHT - COMMITTED COMPLETE**

_**Daily Planet, October 2008**_

"Lois ... Lois, wake up!" Clark whispered loudly in her ear.

Lois started and almost fell out of her seat as Clark reached out to steady her.

"Are you all right?"

"Fine," Lois mumbled. "Don't have to scare a girl. I was just, uhm, thinking." Rubbing her eyes, she tried to focus on Clark's concerned face.

"This is the fourth time in the last couple weeks that you've been _thinking_ with your eyes closed," Clark told her sarcastically, raising his brows and leaning forward to look more closely at her face. Having looked in the mirror that morning, she knew what he saw - tired eyes with dark circles around them, strained expression, wrinkles between the brow.

Lois simply returned his look, raising her own brows. Like she didn't know that?

"Uhm, maybe if you went to bed earlier …" Clark said knowingly, looking directly into her eyes to find the answers.

Trying to avoid his scrutiny, Lois turned quickly to her computer screen. She didn't need another lecture from Clark. What she needed were Clark's arms around her … like last night. Her face reddened at the memory. She must have dreamt the whole thing.

_Lois had fallen asleep on the couch with the computer in her lap. It seems that lately she never had a set bedtime, as least not since she'd started taking an online class at Met U. She'd always regretted not finishing her degree and so she'd decided to take advantage of this second chance to get it done. Even so, she might not have bothered if she hadn't discovered that Clark was the Blur. Something about that inspired her. Funny how she was supposed to "challenge" Clark but he was the one making her want to be better._

"… _Make a new future." Garth's words were a reminder of why she was here. _

_Awareness came slowly as she felt a shift in her position. It wasn't until she was jostled that she realized she was being carried. Opening her eyes slightly, she peeked up to see Clark's face above hers. There was faint odor of smoke around him and wondered if he'd responded to a fire._

"_What are you doing?" Lois asked sleepily, mumbling against his shoulder._

"_Shh," Clark responded. "I'm taking you to bed. You need your sleep."_

"_Mmm, this must be a dream …" Lois said sleepily._

"_Why do you say that?" Clark asked, laying her down on the bed._

"_Because," Lois yawned as she rolled over, "if you were really taking me to bed, I'd be thinking about something besides sleeping …"_

This morning, awake in her own bed, she'd convinced herself that the whole thing was a dream. Now she wasn't so sure - Clark was still standing next to the desk, wearing that concerned but knowing look.

Closing her eyes to block his gaze, Lois started praying that last night had been a dream_._

She jumped when she heard Clark's whisper in her ear, "Lois, are you blushing?"

Self-conscious, and frustrated now that Clark had commented on it, Lois opened her eyes and fired back without thinking, ""Look, Clark I already share a bathroom with you, I'm not going to share my sleeping habits."

Lois heard her co-workers chuckling nearby as her words came out louder than she intended.

Her eyes narrowed at Clark but he didn't smirk. Instead he was wearing that innocent expression she knew so well, the one that told her he knew more than he was letting on.

"Is there something … bothering you?" Clark asked hesitantly, watching as Lois directed her stare toward their chuckling co-workers.

"Let it go, Smallville; I'm fine. Everyone gets a little tired now and then."

Clark reached up and ran his hand through his hair in frustration. "Not you," he muttered.

Lois felt her heart start hammering as she realized he was not going to let this go and she felt herself start to give in at his worried look. Jumping up, she grabbed Clark's hand and dragged him to the supply room to even louder chuckling. Ignoring her co-workers and closing the door, she turned to face him. At least she could give him the partial truth.

Why hadn't she told him before that she started back to school? It took a few minutes for Lois realized she was embarrassed and simply too independent for her good.

The minute she looked at Clark's concerned face she knew that there was nothing to be embarrassed about. Clark would be proud of her. Besides, she needed to learn to share things with him.

"A couple of weeks ago, I started a class at Met U," she blurted out. "I'm taking an online journalism class at night and I plan to finish my degree."

For a minute, Clark looked shocked, like he was expecting another answer, and then a grin split his face.

"That's wonderful, Lois," he exclaimed, walking forward quickly and embracing her.

Lois closed her eyes when she felt Clark's arms around her and fought the urge to lean against him. Seemingly unfazed, Clark pulled back and continued to praise her decision. His reaction was so supportive and he looked so relieved that she had to bite her lip to keep from telling him everything.

The truth was that while online classes were taking up a lot of time, Lois was spending most of her sleepless nights keeping an ear out for Clark's comings and goings as the Blur. Working in her room, she would count the number of times Clark left the house. The next day, she'd compare her notes with reported Blur rescues. By now, the Blur was up to thirty saves in the past couple of weeks and that was only at night. With every rescue, she was finding it harder and harder to keep the knowledge to herself.

Knowing Clark was the Blur hadn't changed her feelings as much as it amplified them. Everything she felt for the Blur had simply transferred itself to Clark. Now Lois was craving the same connection with Clark that she'd experienced with the Blur in her past. Keeping track of his saves was just one way of building that connection, at least for Lois.

Last night was the first time she'd fallen asleep on the couch waiting for him and, of course, he'd tried to help. Clearly, if he kept that up, Lois was likely to tell him everything. Sleepy Lois was just a little too chatty-

"Lois," Clark said getting her attention with a smile, "let me take you out to lunch to celebrate."

Before she could agree, Clark's smile was replaced by the distracted expression that told her his super hearing had picked up someone in trouble.

"Actually, I'll take a rain check," Lois told him as soon as she caught that look. "I need to make up some work. Why don't you just get me some of my favorite coffee from down the street instead?" Lois requested. Turning, she left the room without looking back.

Clark had blurred out of the building before Lois could make it to her desk. Looking at the notes for her next few stories scattered around her computer, Lois sighed. There were times, like today, when she wished she could blur out of the building rather than thinking of excuses for Clark. At least she was good at them; Clark's reasons for disappearing left something to be desired. How many times could someone leave the oven on after all? Still, Clark didn't seem overly suspicious, grinning like an idiot every time she justified one of his disappearances with one of her assumptions.

Listening to Clark's police scanner, she tried to get information on what the Blur might be doing but, before she could get the details, her own desk turned into Grand Central Station.

Her first visitor was Chloe, who stopped by to talk about the upcoming engagement party. She was on her way to pick out the cake and wanted Lois' advice about copying their announcement photo onto the top of it. After that, she described the location for the party and complained continuously for two straight minutes about the owner's one condition that she and Jimmy arrange for set-up beforehand and clean up afterward.

Finally Lois interrupted, "Whoa, cousin, take a breath," she said, holding up her hand. "If you need someone to stay and clean up, I'm your maid," Lois told her.

"Really?" Chloe asked excitedly. "Oh, Lois if you could I know Jimmy would be so grateful. He says he's got some sort of surprise for me after the party-"

"No problem," Lois interrupted again, not sure she wanted to hear about Jimmy's _surprise._

Still, she couldn't help but laugh when Chloe jumped up and gave her a big hug. "You're the best maid of honor ever."

"Naturally," Lois told her, smiling at her cousin's happy face.

Chloe sobered as she pulled away from the hug. "Hey, are you okay? You look a little tired … actually, more than a little tired," Chloe commented, looking closely at Lois' face.

"I'm fine," Lois waved her off. "I've just been busy. Actually, Chloe, I've been meaning to tell you that I started back to-"

Just then Chloe's phone interrupted. "I'm sorry, Lois," Chloe said after checking the ID. "I need to take this call."

"That's okay, I'll talk to you later."

Lois waved after her cousin as she left the Bullpen, phone to her ear. Taking out her calendar, Lois took a moment to pencil in her latest pre-wedding obligation, wincing at the number of entries for the next few weeks.

Just as she was turning back to her computer to finish her latest story, her desk phone rang. Lois took a calming breath before answering. It was J'onn.

"J'onn, what can I do for you?"

He chuckled. "You've been hanging around Clark too long. You're starting to pick up some manners."

"Ha, ha, very funny."

"Is Clark there? I've been trying to reach him," J'onn told her.

"No, he's _out _right now," Lois told him. "Any message you want me to give him?"

"This is nothing you need to know, Lieutenant."

"Oh, come on, J'onn-"

"Just tell him I called, will you."

Before Lois could respond, J'onn hung up.

"Huh, he's obviously been hanging around me too long," she muttered under her breath, picking up her notes for her next story. If she couldn't finish the first she could at least start on the next-

"Hey, Lois, have you seen Clark around?"

With that, Lois' notes went flying.

"Ollie, you scared the crap out of me! What are you doing here?" Lois asked him, picking up her papers as he walked around the side of her desk. He looked over at Clark's empty chair.

"I need to find Clark, have you seen him?"

"He stepped out," Lois responded, narrowing her eyes in Oliver's direction. "Why do you need to see him?"

"Something's come up that I need to talk to him about, that's all," Oliver answered, sitting on the edge of her desk and absentmindedly picking up one of Lois' paperclips to fiddle with.

"About what?" Lois asked, standing up slightly to snatch back her paper clip.

"Ouch, what was that for?"

"Don't give me that look," Lois told him. "What are you trying to get Clark mixed up in?"

"Me?" Oliver asked innocently. "Look, Lois, Clark's got himself … I'm just trying to help here," he added exasperatedly.

"Help with what, exactly?" Lois asked calmly, pretending to sort through some papers on her desk. She looked up at Oliver through her lashes.

"Oh no you don't, nosy reporter," he responded with a smile, shaking his head in her direction. He stood up and walked over to stand next to Lois' chair. "Just tell Clark I stopped by, will you?"

"Maybe," Lois told him, looking up and raising her brows. The last thing she wanted was Oliver roping Clark into some kind of Green Arrow business or any of his little gang's projects. In the future, Oliver had talked about some of their past escapades, and the last thing she needed right now was Clark or the Blur getting sucked into some sort of operation with those guys … that is, unless he'd been involved with them three years ago.

Lois felt the time travel migraine coming on just thinking about it.

Oliver's expression grew solemn as he leaned down next to her, "This is serious, Lois. I need to talk to Clark. He could be in trouble."

She felt her mouth go dry as she swallowed and nodded.

Oliver patted her shoulder, "By the way, nice story about Jimmy's Good Samaritan. What did you name him? Oh right," he continued, snapping his fingers, "the Blur … it's catchy. I like it, it's definitely better than the _Green Arrow Bandit_." Oliver chuckled a little.

"Oh, I don't know … I always thought the bandit part was appropriate," Lois responded in the same sarcastic tone that Oliver was using.

"You know, if I didn't know better, I'd think you had a crush on this … Blur," Oliver whispered with a laugh, straightening when he saw her expression.

"Tell Clark to call me right away," Oliver reminded her, walking out of the Bullpen, his chuckle trailing behind him.

Lois looked at her computer screen with a sigh. He knew. Somehow Oliver knew that she knew Clark was the Blur. It must have been something to do with J'onn and their matching outfits. No wonder Oliver hadn't called to grill her about the Blur bungle … he'd figured it out for himself. Her breath caught as she realized Oliver also recognized her feelings for the Blur/Clark. Was she being too obvious or was Oliver teasing her as usual?

Lois put her head in her hands, her body exhausted but her mind racing. Chloe's engagement party and wedding were taking up more and more of her time, her class was demanding, she was dealing with Clark as the Blur and now he could be in trouble. She'd thought doing things the second time around would be easier. Sitting back, Lois closed her eyes for a minute.

Man, she hadn't been this tired since fighting the Darkness.

"Lane!" Randall shouted.

Lois sighed as she got up out her chair and walked to Randall's office. It looked like visiting hours were over - time to get back to work.

Fifteen minutes later, when Lois returned to her desk, her steps felt sluggish and her eyes were like sandpaper.

Fortunately, a large cup of coffee from her favorite beanery was sitting on her desk and Clark was back in his seat. Taking an appreciative sip, Lois couldn't contain a little moan as the flavor hit her tongue.

She glanced over at Clark just in time to see his eyes widen at the sound. Feeling perkier, giddy even, she toasted him with her coffee cup before taking another sip, acknowledging that he always brought the best coffee, her favorite blend, and at the perfect temperature, too …

At that thought, she almost spit out her second sip, realizing for the first time that he must be using his heat vision to keep it hot. Before she could stop herself, she started laughing.

At Clark's questioning glance, she laughed even harder. She laughed until tears rolled down her face, until she was gasping for breath, until she was desperate to stop …

In her mind she knew it was the exhaustion taking over but that didn't help. Clark must have recognized the panic in her eyes because, by the time she realized she was out of control, Clark was already by her side, leaning over, blocking the views of her various co-workers. As her laughter finally started to subside, she could feel one large hand rubbing her back while his other held hers and was rubbing slow circles in her palm. The warmth eased the panic, but then Lois felt her emotions swing violently at the feel of his hand on hers. She wanted so much more … emotions welled up inside her until she couldn't contain them.

"I need to get out of here," she whispered, further distressed by the thought of breaking down in the office.

Quickly and with very little effort Clark lifted her out of her seat and casually walked her to the elevator. Her feet barely touched the ground and his calm helped Lois to gain some control. She managed to give him a grateful smile as he shuffled her inside. With a grim expression, he blocked her from the other passengers until they reached the right floor.

By the time he escorted her out to the parking lot, what little control Lois had was gone. The dam burst just as Clark was opening the passenger door to the car. Collapsing against the side of the car, she began sobbing hysterically, beating on the hood in frustration until Clark grabbed her arms. Soon he was pulling her against his strong, warm chest. At first, she fought him, trying to pull away, wanting desperately to curl up inside the car and disappear. She hated the fact that he was seeing her like this.

Clark wouldn't let her pull away. Surrounded by his warmth, unable to put up much of a fight, she succumbed to the exhaustion and the emotions that came with it. Lois lost track of time as Clark stood there supporting her until the last tear was done and she was hiccupping into his dampened shirt. Physically drained and emotionally spent, she felt her eyes start to close, until he tried to pull away.

"No," she whispered, tightening her grip on his shirt, afraid of the floodgates reopening, afraid of breaking down completely if he left. With everything she'd released, she knew there was more.

So Clark stood there with her, silent and still, except for lightly rubbing her back and arms, until her eyes finally closed.

Later, it was the cool evening air that woke her. Clark was carrying her again and dimly she recognized the front porch of the farmhouse. Still half-asleep, she snuggled into his warmth, nuzzling against his neck in the process.

"Thanks for not taking me to the hospital," she whispered groggily against his warm skin.

She felt a light shudder go through him as he stopped to open the kitchen door.

"Oh, you're going to the hospital," he rumbled. "But right now you need some sleep … and the hospital isn't a good place for that."

"Hmmm," Lois responded against his neck, her sleepy brain refusing to keep her barriers in place and lowering her inhibitions … if she just weren't so tired.

She must have dozed off again because she didn't remember anything until he lowered her onto her bed. When he pulled his arms away, she whimpered at the loss of warmth and reached for him.

"Shhh," Clark whispered. "Go back to sleep."

Lois felt his hand brush the hair back from her forehead as her eyes closed but her mind fought sleep despite her exhaustion. Instead, her brain formed the idea that Clark would stay with her if she kept talking.

"Clark?" Lois said dreamily.

"Yes, Lois."

"Are you worried?"

"Yes, I am."

"Don't be."

Why not?" Clark asked curiously.

"You worry too much," Lois mumbled.

"Okay," he agreed. "Now go to sleep."

"Clark?"

"Yes, Lois."

She tried to answer but his hand was brushing against her face so soothingly that her mind was on the verge of surrendering. A niggling part of her brain was trying to remind her to talk, to tell him something important, but her thoughts were quickly grinding to a halt.

_Something about … leaving?_

"I made a promise," she muttered.

"A promise?"

"Uh, huh."

"What promise?"

"Huh?" Lois breathed out as she fought to keep her eyes open.

"Lois …"

"Oh … promise I'll never leave you," she mumbled softly, succumbing to the sleep she so desperately needed just as his warm hand froze on the side of her face.

_**Engagement party, ten days later**_

Here she was at Chloe and Jimmy's engagement party, round two, and Lois wasn't feeling any better about it. Restlessly she strolled around the perimeter looking at the magnificent photographs on the walls. At least the decor was better this time; they were in a studio belonging to the parents of one of Jimmy's photographer buddies.

Location was not the only thing that was different this time. At the last minute, Lois had decided to change her appearance as well, wearing her gold lamiae dress in place of the form-fitting burgundy and her hair curling down her back instead of up in a knot. Normally she wasn't superstitious but she figured it was better to be safe than sorry. After all, the jeweler was still on the loose. One of the reasons Lois had agreed to clean up was because she didn't want Chloe and Jimmy getting kidnapped again.

Standing behind one of the pillars that supported the large main room, Lois took a sip of water and grimaced. She could really use a drink right now but she didn't want to imbibe before clean-up duty started. Also, no alcohol was doctor's orders.

Of course, after Lois had slept off her little breakdown, Clark had taken her straight to the hospital, where the doctor diagnosed her with exhaustion - big surprise. More surprising to Lois was Clark talking to the doctor about her little _zoning out_ moments. Lois played them down but it made her realize that Clark was more observant than she gave him credit for. She'd have to be careful in the future.

Just then Lois spotted the subject of her musings making his way toward her. Talk about observant - only he could spot her hiding in a crowded room. Her heart rate increased and her breath caught at the sight of him strolling confidently toward her. Unable to resist what Lois secretly called his "Blur side," or the more self-assured Clark, she reached out to adjust the collar of the dark shirt he was wearing. Lately, she was looking for any excuse to touch him. If Clark noticed he didn't mention it but Lois was learning that she could get away with almost anything when Clark was worried about her.

"Looking good, there, Smallville," she told him, teasing him before he could ask how she was feeling. She leaned in conspiratorially, "try not to outshine the groom, though, I hear it is bad luck."

"I think that's the bride, Lois," he smiled in mock exasperation, lightly placing a hand on her elbow. He seemed to be touching her a lot more lately as well but Lois tried not to read too much into it. After all, he was worried about her.

"Try not to outshine her either," Lois said, peeking up at his expression through her lashes. She laughed at his pained look and tried to ignore the warmth that was spreading at his touch.

Clark turned around to look at Chloe and his face softened. "I don't think that's possible," he said quietly.

Lois felt her insides melt. Forget that fact that he was worried about her. The warmth, the soft words and the touching, was he trying to kill her? Tall, dark and handsome with big chunk of hero was pretty amazing but add in the sweet farm boy and Lois wasn't sure how much longer she could resist. Every day she was more and more tempted to tell him everything … However, she was caught up in so many secrets now that she had no idea how to begin or where to start.

Lois followed Clark's gaze to Chloe. She sighed. Now was not the time. It never seemed to be the right time. "I think you're right," Lois said, watching a radiant Chloe in her dark pink baby-doll dress. "She does look happy. I just hope she stays that way."

"What do you mean?" Clark asked. "Chloe tells me you've been trying to get her to postpone the wedding. Why?"

Lois almost groaned out loud. Of all her secrets this was not one she could share with him. She sighed, feeling torn with her knowledge of the future. On the one hand it was clear that Jimmy was devoted to Chloe and that Chloe was fond of him. On the other hand, Lois had glimpsed, just briefly, her cousin's relationship with Oliver and discovered that Chloe was capable of giving so much more.

"Well ... I've been knocked around by cupid enough to know true love when I see it … and I just don't see it," Lois said, deciding to fall back on the words she used at the last engagement party rather than lie to Clark.

"Hmm, sounds to me like you're jealous," Clark said, raising his brow in a challenge.

Her first urge was to deny it, to argue with him, but then she remembered watching Chloe and Jimmy dance together at her birthday party. Even if it wasn't true love they had an ease with each other that she envied.

"Maybe I am," she answered, pulling her elbow away to turn back behind the pillar, looking at the color photograph of five guys skydiving in formation. The colors were bright - red, yellow, and blue - the figures grouped together in formation against a light sky. It had caught her attention the first time she'd walked the room and she'd felt drawn to it, comforted by it, sort of like her room in the Legion's space station. Something about those colors-

"Lois," Clark whispered, following behind her and placing his warm hand on her shoulder.

"You know," she said, trying not to shiver at his touch, "a palm reader once told me that I was destined to be with a guy who flies a lot and likes to wear tights." Looking over her shoulder at Clark, she plastered a smile to her face. "If you ever see my cross-dressing pilot, let me know, will you?"

The smile faded as she saw the understanding and longing in his eyes … reflecting her own desires. A shiver ran through her as Clark turned her to face him and his hands lowered from her shoulders to lightly caress her bare arms. Drowning in the darkening color of his eyes, Lois barely noticed when the lights dimmed around the perimeter, illuminating only the center of the gallery for Chloe and Jimmy as they toasted one another. She and Clark turned to listen politely but soon Clark's hand was back, idly caressing the sensitive underside of Lois' elbow.

The dim light seemed to magnify the sensation of his touch and, even when her eyes closed in response, she felt him step closer, the heat radiating off of him and warming her. A whimper might have escaped her lips at his nearness but she wasn't sure. His hand was wreaking havoc with her senses and making her knees weak.

When the toasts were finished, the lights stayed focused on Chloe and Jimmy as they began to cut the cake. Clark's nearness was overwhelming, so Lois tried to move, intending to make her way to the center of the room and act as the supportive maid of honor. Instead, she bumped into a guy who was rushing to the bar. His elbow pushed her body fully up against Clark's just as Clark turned to face her.

The feel of Clark's body flush up against hers stole her breath. Lois couldn't help but lean into him as his hands closed around her arms. This time he didn't push her away and she watched, mesmerized, as his lashes lowered. Struck by a sense of déjà vu, she placed her free hand on his chest, feeling his rapid heartbeat. She looked into his hooded eyes until she realized his lips were coming closer. Then her eyes were drawn his lush mouth as her lips seemed to part of their own accord. She lifted herself to meet him halfway.

The minute their lips touched Lois could feel that this kiss was different, softer and slower. The passion was there but Lois sensed caring as well. Partially hidden by the dim light and large pillar, Clark's lips were tender, almost gentle as he leisurely explored her mouth with his own.

By the time he was finished Lois was dizzy and clinging to him to keep her balance. Breathing heavily, she kept her eyes on his shirt until his hand lifted her chin.

Clark's slow smile was almost her undoing. "Lois-" he said huskily.

"Clark?" Lois questioned in a whisper, her thoughts in turmoil …

"Lana!" Chloe's exclamation rang loudly from the center of the room. "I can't believe it!"

And with the sound of one name, Lois felt her connection to Clark being severed on the spot.

At least he didn't pull away immediately this time. Instead, Lois watched as his expression turned to one of confusion before he slowly turned to look into the middle of the room. Lois, on the other hand, stood rooted in place. How could it be? The future kids must be taunting her. Either that or the fates were playing one heck of a cruel joke.

Lana was back, early this time, and instead of having everything together, Lois was falling apart. Figures, Lana always did have impeccable timing.

_You must continue to support and challenge him_.

Rokk's words came to her unbidden and Lois tried to shove them aside. She didn't want to think about that while her heart was being shredded into tiny pieces. Yet, no matter how hard she tried, the words wouldn't leave.

Finally, her eyes were drawn to Clark's frozen face and she was surprised, not by the expression there, but the lack of one. He looked exactly as he had on the balcony outside the Ace of Clubs weeks ago. There was no longing in his face, just confusion, stress and tension radiating from his body.

Even with her heart in pieces, Lois' body responded to Clark's and she sighed. She didn't need a reminder of Rokk's words. There was no way she could walk away from Clark as long as he needed her. Drawn by the emotions he was trying to hide, Lois moved closer and unobtrusively gripped his hand in her own. She squeezed gently and felt his return squeeze as she watched Lana's gaze drawn to Clark over Chloe's shoulder.

The moment Lois saw Lana's dark eyes feast themselves on Clark, her protective instincts kicked into high gear. No way was she going to let Lana rip his heart out again. Even if Clark only considered Lois to be a friend, she would stand by him this time.

So, with her hand in Clark's, Lois watched his eyes follow Lana's progress around the room, caught a glimpse of his startled expression as Oliver appeared right behind Lana, and shared his dull look as friends proposed toasts to Chloe and Jimmy.

Finally, when Lana left the central gallery to enter one of the side rooms, Clark's eyes turned to Lois and she could see the question in them through the storm of other emotions. For a minute, she couldn't release him, even when the logical part of her brain told her Clark wanted to follow. Clark's hand tugged on hers a little before his thumb began to rub circles in her palm.

"Lois, I need to go … to talk to her … to understand," he muttered, his eyes pleading with her before they darted to the room where Lana had gone.

What did he want from her? Clark Kent needed Lois Lane; couldn't he see that?

His profile told her that he didn't. Resolve weakening at the look on Clark's face, she closed her eyes. Did she have a choice? Unable to look at him, she released Clark's hand and waited.

When his fingers slid from hers, she felt the loss of warmth and shuddered with it. The cold spread until she was practically shaking, wondering if she was going to fall apart this time. How many times could one person be left behind? If her life was any indication, it was an unlimited number. With a deep breath, Lois fought her initial inclination to run, to flee, to take off before she-

"Hey, Legs, how's it shaking?"

Lois opened her eyes at Oliver's words. He was talking to her but looking at Clark's retreating back. Her eyes followed and her heart sank as she watched Clark's recent confidence seemed to dissipate with each step closer to Lana.

…_even if Clark Kent doesn't return your affections, you must continue to support and challenge him._

"How do you think?" Lois responded, straightening her own back at the echo of Rokk's words. Only she could do this. Determination starting to build, she masked her expression and looked over at Oliver.

"I'd say not too well," Oliver answered, glancing toward the door where Clark had gone. "Want a drink?"

Lois' first inclination was to decline as her eyes again followed Oliver's. Somehow, with her sparring partner near, Rokk's words bolstered her and all thought of flight left her mind. Instead, Lois felt her _fight_ instinct kicking in. Suddenly, she had the urge to drop-kick Lana into the thirty-first century and let the Legion deal with her. After that, she'd grab Clark and show him that she was the one he needed, the one he wanted, the one he could have, if only …

Out of the corner of her eye, Lois spotted the glass containing the amber liquid. Still in a state of _fight _she took the glass of liquid courage from Oliver and raised it to her lips. She downed the drink in one gulp and gasped.

"What the hell was that?" Lois choked out as the liquid burned its way down her throat, turning to face Oliver. 

"An attention-getter," he smirked. "And look at that - it worked. At least I've got your full attention now."

"Well … you could have just snapped your fingers in my face or something," Lois wheezed. "What's so important that you needed my undivided attention?"

"Your cousin sent me over here. According to the future bride, your toast is long overdue, as is Clark's … but he's busy right now."

Her gaze slammed into Oliver's. At least he had the grace to wince.

"Look, Lois, don't you think Clark deserves some closure, if nothing else? I'm sure they're just talking …" He trailed off, swallowing hard as Lois' eyes narrowed.

"Okay," he said, raising his arms in surrender, "backing off now. Don't shoot the messenger," he quipped, shrugging his shoulders in Chloe's direction as his eyes met hers.

Lois followed his gaze and saw her cousin looking at her with a _Bridezilla_ look in her eye. Sighing, Lois tried to gather her thoughts as she walked over to the bar and grabbed the first full water glass she could find, along with a suitable utensil. Clearing her throat, she tapped the glass with the tip of the spoon.

"Excuse me, everyone; excuse me. I'd like to make a toast." Lois shouted to the other occupants of the room as she walked closer to Chloe and Jimmy in the center.

"As we were growing up, Chloe and I spent time, like a lot of young girls, talking about the type of guy we wanted to marry someday. Of course, Chloe was more interested in the prince while I was more interested in the dragon." There were chuckles around the room. Still, Lois was aware of the exact minute Clark stepped back in…

"When we grew older, we threw away childish fantasies, recognizing that love and friendship were more important than being damsels in distress." Lois watched as Clark's eyes widened at her remarks and then seemed to narrow as he caught her meaning. Her gaze quickly returned to a tense Chloe.

"In Jimmy, I think Chloe has found both a friend and a prince. Here's to Chloe and Jimmy." At the finish, Lois watched Chloe relax as everyone raised their glasses.

When her cousin came forward to give her a hug, Lois found her eyes returning to Clark's over Chloe's shoulder. His eyes begged for understanding as Lana walked up and linked her arm through his. Together they walked out the door, and Lois realized she'd been holding on to the idea of _meant to be_. In her heart, she'd secretly been hoping that Clark was getting closure and that he would come back to her. It was a foolish dream. Her eyes blinked back tears. No amount of wishing, wanting or fate could make things happen now. Her time had obviously run out.

For Lois, the rest of the evening passed in a haze. She talked, laughed and visited but inside she was berating herself for being so foolish. Relying on the future kids, she had opened her heart, sure that Clark would pick her this time, thinking that time was on her side.

She'd been so stupid.

It seemed to take forever for the party to end but, finally, everyone was gone except for Chloe, Jimmy and Lois.

"Are you sure?" Chloe asked for the hundredth time, as Jimmy helped her on with her coat. "Clark was supposed to help you tonight. With the escaped jeweler running around, you shouldn't be left alone…" Chloe trailed off.

"If the jeweler was going to make his move, he would have done it by now," Lois interrupted. "Besides, it's your night. You guys go ahead and I'll take care of things here." She held up her broom and dustpan, "See, I'm armed and ready."

While Jimmy chuckled, Chloe looked concerned.

"I don't know, Lois," she said, as Jimmy started pulling on her arm - the prospective groom definitely had something special planned.

"Go," Lois told her cousin, helping Jimmy to get her out the door. "I promise to lock the door and run to my car when I'm done."

Reluctantly, Chloe let herself be led out by her fiancé and, when the door was closed and locked, Lois released a heavy sigh. Immediately, she slipped off her shoes. Her feet were killing her. Putting on a CD of some of her favorites, Lois leaned against the stereo and listened to the familiar tunes.

After a while, she straightened, refusing to brood. Action was what was needed now and so Lois quickly started moving around the room picking up paper plates, plastic utensils and other garbage.

With _Def Leppard _blasting in the stereo, it took a few minutes before Lois heard the knock on the door. Ironically singing, "Is anybody out there?" she froze at the glass entry and dropped her garbage bag when she saw who was on the other side. She blinked trying to clear her vision until he raised his hand to knock again. Reluctantly, she unlocked the door.

"I thought you could use a hand," Clark said, giving her his sheepish smile along with his puppy-dog eyes.

Lois didn't return the smile. Instead, she handed him the garbage bag.

"Chloe called you, huh?"

Clark's face lost its sheepish expression as he ran his hand through his hair.

"Does it matter?"

Lois shrugged. "Not as long as you do your share of the work," she added, nodding toward the garbage bag in his hand.

After he started working, Lois kept her back to him, knowing that she wouldn't be able to hang on to her composure otherwise.

_You must continue to support and challen-_

She tried to cut off Rokk's words in her mind. They weren't helping. In fact, they were tearing her in two. How was she supposed to be any help to Clark when her own heart was shattered? Telling herself that she'd survived this before wasn't helping right now.

Falling back on the familiar, Lois simply shoved her emotions aside, willed her mind to go blank and started singing loudly with the music. Keeping busy helped and so she moved quickly around the room, cleaning as much as she could.

With all the work to do, it was easy to ignore Clark until she bumped into him.

"Watch it!" Lois said, irritated by her own clumsiness.

When he didn't respond, she finally looked at him, only to see that intent look on his face, the one he wore when he was trying to figure out what she was thinking.

"What?" she asked, irritated by his look, his presence, his … _everything_.

"Nothing," he muttered looking back at the garbage in his hand, but then his face grew determined and his gaze returned to hers. "Look, Lois about earlier tonight …"

Not wanting to be close to him or listen to his excuses, Lois walked quickly over to the stereo and cut him off by turning up the volume. It was immature, she knew, but she wasn't ready to talk. She wasn't sure if her heart could stand it. Burying the hurt had been working so far …

A large, warm hand reached around to cover hers, turning down the volume in the process but she didn't let go. Her hand battled with Clark's until he finally reacted.

"Lois, what are you doing?" Clark asked, grabbing her by the shoulders and spinning her around to face him.

"I don't want to hear it," Lois said, moving her hands up in an attempt to break his grip on her shoulders while her eyes darted around the room.

He leaned down to catch her eyes with his but she turned her head away.

Clark's sigh practically parted her hair. "You may not want to hear it but I want to explain. Lana had an appointment and needed a ride to her Aunt Nell's. I left to take her there-"

"What you do with Lana is your own business," Lois responded, trying to hang on to her dignity. She couldn't let him see how much he'd hurt her. "And I have enough going on without riding that roller coaster ... no offense."

"None taken," Clark said, releasing her immediately. He seemed disconcerted by Lois' reaction.

Quickly, she pulled away before his touch could break down her resistance and turned to walk off. She wasn't sure how long she could keep this up, but his next question stopped her in her tracks.

"What if _I_ don't want to ride that roller coaster?"

"Then I'd say that's one of the smartest decisions you've made in a while, Smallville," Lois told him, trying to keep her heart from racing as she unlocked the front door and continued outside with the garbage.

It wasn't until she reached the dumpster that she released a shaky breath. Was it possible that Clark Kent was over Lana Lang? While her mind was telling her "no," hope was blooming again in her traitorous heart. She stood at the smelly dumpster for a few minutes wondering how she could possibly go back inside. That's when she noticed the car headlights.

"Hey, do you mind?" Lois shouted, still thinking about Clark. "Your high beams are drilling holes in my skull-"

She felt the sting of the taser in her side.

"Oh, shit."

As Lois was collapsing she heard Clark's voice, "Lois? Where are you?"

_No, not Clark_.

That was her last thought.

_**Metropolis warehouse, same night**_

_Pain_.

The burning sensation was coming from her other side this time. Lois grimaced as she looked around. Everything was still dark but the ceilings were too high for a basement. She was being held in a warehouse. The fact that she could recognize a dark warehouse so quickly was probably a sad declaration about the state of her life.

His voice, when it came out of the blackness, crawled over her skin.

"You said it yourself, Ms. Lane, actions speak louder than words," the jeweler told her. It took a minute for Lois's eyes to adjust enough to see that the jeweler was standing about ten feet away from her in the shadows.

_Great, psychopaths actually listen to me_.

Instinctively, Lois tried to move and discovered that she was chained to a concrete post, probably one of the support posts in the large structure. There were windows in the warehouse positioned about fifteen feet off the ground, but they had been painted black. The only lighting was from a single bulb situated somewhere above Lois and she couldn't shake the feeling that he was recreating some kind of horror movie.

As Lois moved, she felt a sticky sensation on parts of her skin. Looking down at herself, she realized that she had wires attached to most of the pressure points on her body.

"What, I'm a human light bulb now?" Lois commented, struggling to see the jeweler in the shadows, wondering how she was going to get out of this one.

_Lies ... pain._

Simple words but they impacted her immediately. Her chest tightened, the static filling her head and the black surrounded the edges of her vision. Lois blinked and took deep breaths trying to calm her racing heart. This guy was not going to get to her again.

_Not again, not again_.

"... it's always about the truth, Ms. Lane," the jeweler responded. "But with deeds, not words. You were so right."

"Glad I could help," Lois told him sarcastically, gradually applying pressure to the chains to test for weak spots. There weren't any.

"Oh you didn't help me, just yourself," the jeweler told her. "You'll thank me for this later."

"Right, I'll thank you when I'm dead," Lois responded, fighting the shiver in her voice as the words sank in. Then she heard the sound of another voice and her entire body started to shake.

"Lois?" the voice was weak but recognizable.

"Clark?" Lois called. "Clark, where are you?" Lois looked around in the dim light and spotted movement against the post about twenty feet away.

"Good, you're awake," the jeweler said and she heard the sound of a switch. Instantly, the dim light from single bulb shone above Clark and Lois could see him for the first time.

He was in the same condition as her, chained to a post but instead of wires, there was green rock in a small box at his feet. It had clearly weakened him because his head rested loosely on his chest and his eyes were closed.

Frantic, Lois yelled at the jeweler, "What have you done?"

"I haven't done anything yet, Ms. Lane, but soon I'll be doing you both a favor."

"What …" Lois stopped, scared to hear the answer, "what do you mean?"

"Actions, Ms. Lane," the jeweler said, moving between Lois and Clark, quietly adjusting the various knobs and levers on his equipment. "I've watched the two of you together. You've got something special between you, but you haven't been able to act on it because of your secrets."

"There's nothing between us, no secrets and ... nothing else," Lois told him, fighting to keep the fear and panic out of her voice. "Let him go, please," she begged.

"Lois, stop," Clark said weakly. "Let her go," he said more strongly to the jeweler. "You can do whatever you want to me but leave her alone."

"See," the jeweler said, stepping back to look between them. "You're already protecting one another. Like I said, you'll thank me later."

"Who are you?" Clark asked, his voice not much more than a whisper.

The jeweler left Lois to walk over to Clark, "Oh, that's right, we haven't met. Ms. Lane named me the Truth or Dare Murderer, although I don't like the word murderer. I prefer helper myself."

"No," Clark groaned, beginning to struggle against his chains.

Lois watched as the jeweler held his green bracelet up to Clark's face. Immediately, Clark's struggles ceased as his complexion turned the color of the stone glowing in the bracelet. Clark tried to pull his head away.

"Oh, yes," the jeweler told Clark as he stepped back and lowered the bracelet. "Just one of your little secrets I happened to notice when you and the detective rushed in to rescue Ms. Lane. You were so eager you didn't hide your reaction very well. I knew then that you were the one, the one who cared, the one who needed to be honest with her," the jeweler paused and looked at Clark. "But you haven't been honest, have you? Don't you know that you'll never truly have her love unless you're honest with her?" The jeweler stepped over to his instruments. "Of course," he commented casually, "most couples don't come close to carrying the secrets you do."

"It was you," Lois whispered, realizing that she'd been aware of him watching her all along. She'd had the feeling she was being watched several times during the past few weeks but the feeling had been strongest when she was on her way to meet Jimmy and Clark for some Blur hunting. The jeweler must have seen the whole Blur bungle and her rescue in the alley. Lois felt sick at the thought.

The whine of the instruments interrupted and a sob escaped her throat, her body automatically tensing at the thought of the pain. Clark heard her and he lifted his eyes to hers. Her own fear and pain were reflected in his eyes.

_Pain_.

How were they going to get out of this?

"You came crashing in to save her last time, so I'll give you the chance to do it again. Of course, this time you'll be required to reveal your secrets," the jeweler said, moving to stand in front of Clark. "I've plugged Ms. Lane into enough electricity to power your little home town. I'm going to set the timer for five seconds," the jeweler instructed, adjusting one of the devices closest to Clark. "You'll have to use your, uhm, special talents if you want to save her."

"What?" Lois demanded. "What talents? Look, Clark is just a normal guy," Lois cried out in panic over the jeweler's words. Clark could not reveal himself to the jeweler. It would be disastrous.

"Oh Miss Lane, I told you you'd thank me. Everyone has secrets; your friend Clark just has more than his fair share. Don't worry; I'll give you some time to talk things over first. The alarm will announce the activation of the device," the jeweler calmly walked over to Lois. "You have only five seconds to live after that but, if he saves you then trust me … you're more important to him than you realize."

Lois struggled against her chains but they didn't move. Moaning as they cut into her, she stopped, breathing heavily as the jeweler walked out the door.

Her mind blank, Lois just hung there for a minute. What could she do? Clark was the only one who could break these chains but if he did his identity would be compromised.

For a minute the only sound was the whir and tick of the jeweler's devices.

"Clark?" Lois called and watched as his weakly lifted his head to look at her. "Can you move your feet?"

Looking down, Clark seemed to get the idea and Lois watched as he moved each foot slowly up and down and side to side within the chains, trying to loosen them. After a few minutes the toe of his boot lightly grazed the top of the box of meteor rock, krypto-whatever.

_If he could only get it shut_.

"You almost had it," Lois encouraged as Clark continued to move his feet. Then he stopped.

"Wire," Clark told her looking up. Squinting in the dim light Lois finally saw what Clark had seen. The lid of the box was connected to a wire and they had no idea what it might trigger.

"Just leave it, Clark," Lois told him. If an explosion was triggered before the lid closed- 

Lois looked into Clark's eyes and she ached with the pain she saw there. Her mind flashed to the roof of the Chronicle, where pain-filled steel eyes turned to blue and faded-

And then the sharp stabbing behind her eyes caused her to cry out as she was transported to the future.

_Night grabbed her by the arms, the cold not as shocking to her senses any more, and shook her like he was trying to shake some sense into her. All Lois could do was stare back at him in wonder as each reaction - anger, frustration, concern - crossed his face and color returned to his complexion. Soon, the cold in his hands lessened as he fought to slow his breathing, get control, just as a shadowy darkness slithered in through the balcony doors. Lois gasped when the shadow took shape, appearing as a second Night, only this one with blood red eyes._

_The hands on her arms lowered as Night turned to face … himself. _

"_Well, well," a slithering, sardonic voice emerged from the red-eyed Night, as bits of shadow seem to dance around the creature. "What have we here?"_

_Lois didn't respond. She couldn't. Fear, unlike any she had known, clamped around her heart until she felt frozen, icy._

"_Ah, the prize, I see," continued the creature, as he turned to Night. "I know what I promised, Kryptonian, but I expect your __companion__ not to interfere with your duties."_

_The creature looked at Night until something in him was satisfied, then turned his red eyes to Lois as she fought the urge to cover her fully-clothed body with her hands._

"_Hmmm, not bad for your second choice," the creature added and Lois watched as a slim sliver of a shadow danced around her ear. The Darkness was looking for a way in. She tried to ignore the creature's words. _

"_Oh, didn't you know? In every incarnation of Clark Kent, you are his second choice," the creature chuckled as Lois felt the words hit home. Her weakness, her heartache exploited, Lois fought against it as shadowy slivers danced in front of her vision, the Darkness' last attempt to claim her-_

The continuous beeping of an alarm brought Lois slowly back to the present, where she heard Clark calling her name.

"Lois," he out weakly. "It's the alarm. I'm going to try to get us out of here."

"No … no," Lois shook her head as she slowly became aware of her surroundings. This could not be happening. It was all too much. Just then she realized that tears were streaming down her face, the memories opening old wounds and attacking new ones-

"Lois," Clark repeated and her eyes were drawn to his. She saw the fear and pain reflecting her own, as well as the frustration he felt at being helpless. He must have seen the tears because his eyes softened just before he began battling with the chains.

"I'll get us out of this," Clark kept saying as he struggled with the chains and, for once, Lois had no reply.

Feeling drained and defeated, she let her head drop.

The small snap of the lid closing over the box of kryptonite brought her eyes back to Clark's.

Almost immediately, Lois watched the pain leave his expression. The chains seemed to simply fall away from his body as his strength returned. Her eyes never left him when he blurred to her side, breaking her own chains with the same ease. It took longer to remove the wires and, for just a minute their eyes met, but Clark looked away, focusing on the job at hand.

When Lois was free, he pulled her bruised and battered body to his chest and sped out into the dark of the early morning, while electricity pulsed and crackled through the wires left behind.

_**Kent farmhouse, next evening**_

The sun was starting to set behind the barn, painting the sky in soft, golden colors when Lois reached for her jacket … again. She could see the barn from the kitchen window and she knew Clark was hiding in there, brooding. As far as she knew, he'd been out there all day.

After their escape, he had immediately taken her to the hospital and left her there while he went back for the jeweler. In the early morning hours, Chloe arrived with coffee and a worried expression. She'd apologized again and again for leaving her cousin but Lois waved her off distractedly, concerned about Clark facing the jeweler.

_Reaching out hand, Los tried to stop him._

"_Don't Clark," she whispered. "He can weaken you-"_

"_It's all right Lois," Clark interrupted with a reassuring smile. "I'll be careful." But his eyes contained an anger that Lois had never seen …_

It was J'onn who called to tell Lois about the jeweler's capture. He didn't go into details but he did mention that the Blur was involved. It was only after talking to J'onn, out of Chloe's earshot, that Lois felt herself relax. The jeweler was caught, Clark was alive, and J'onn was taking care of whatever the jeweler thought he knew about Clark.

The relaxed feeling didn't last long when Lois realized she was sitting on an exclusive story. After she convinced a reluctant Chloe to take her to work, she finished her second story on the Truth or Dare Murderer in record time. Randall was thrilled and even Tess was impressed. The only thing missing was Clark.

It was Jimmy who told her Clark had taken a personal day.

Picking up her car from the gallery, Lois quickly drove back to the farm, reviewing the night's events. By the time she got out of the car, she was stressed all over again, thinking about Clark's reaction and his anger. Was he upset with her? When she got out of the car she could hear Clark working in the barn but she was too worked up by then. Instead of going in there, she'd waited in the house for Clark.

She'd been waiting for over an hour.

It was after Lana called looking for Clark that Lois couldn't settle. Now she had an excuse to visit and yet every time she'd grab her jacket, she'd hesitate, hang her jacket back up, and sit down at the table… get up, look out the window, grab her jacket, and hang it up … until the entire process repeated itself.

Another twenty minutes went by and Clark never left the barn.

Finally tired of waiting and wondering, Lois grabbed her jacket and put it on. Barreling out the kitchen door, she stormed in the barn, only to discover Clark in his shirt-sleeves working on the tractor. By the time she reached the barn, Lois was worked up and muttering under her breath.

"Okay, I'm sorry!" she cried, when Clark didn't look up from his work. Just the sight of him working quietly sent her over the edge.

Clark looked up, clearly surprised, "For what?"

"For everything! I don't know … for whatever it is that has you brooding out here."

Clark stood and watched Lois pace in front of him. "I'm not brooding," he told her, but his expression belied his words.

"Oh, yes you are," Lois said, stopping about three feet in front of him and planting her hands on her hips. "I can tell. I mean, I've known you for four years. I've lived with you. I know when you're-"

"Five," Clark interrupted calmly.

"What?" Lois sputtered.

"You've known me for five years," Clark said, grabbing up one of the work towels to wipe his hands, his eyes avoiding hers.

"Well, yeah … okay, but the point is I know you-"

"Do you?" Clark asked, suddenly focusing on the towel in his hands, his body completely still.

"Of course I do …" Lois told him, slowing down and growing concerned at the turn in the conversation. "Smallville, what is this about?" Lois took a step closer.

"Me, Lois," Clark responded, continuing to watch his hands. "You saw what I am … what I can do ... what I've hidden from you." Suddenly, Clark threw his work towel into the dirt and nervously shoved his hands into his pockets. "I've kept things from you, lied to you and …and I'm sick of it," Clark finished on a frustrated note, continuing to look at the ground. "I'm just so sick of it all …"

"Then stop it," Lois said calmly, her heart warming at his words.

Blue eyes grabbed onto hazel and held.

Lois watched as fear, self-loathing and longing appeared in his eyes. Her heart was racing as she realized how important this moment was for Clark and for her as well. Afraid to change the dynamic, Lois held his gaze and waited, wanting so desperately for him to tell her, for him to make the first move-

"How?" The question that interrupted her thoughts was barely more than a whisper. "People who know my secret have died-"

"I could get kidnapped tomorrow and die, Clark," Lois told him, watching as he winced at the truth of her statement. "You can't let that stop you if you really want to be honest with me."

Clark was silent for so long that Lois had to react. Walking slowly over to him, she took his hand and led him to a nearby hay bale. Sitting on the bale, she patted the place next to her and watched as he took a seat.

Taking pity on him, she finally spoke while his eyes stayed glued to the dirt. "Look if you're sick of lying, then just … tell me something about yourself, something true."

"You saw some of what I can do," Clark said, taking a deep breath. "I can also run really fast and I'm super strong. I can hear from great distances, shoot fire from my eyes, have super breath, and x-ray vision," Clark told her in rapid-fire sequence, holding his breath as he waited for her reaction.

"That's all great, Clark, but I'd already figured out that you have powers," Lois told him seriously. "Tell me something from here," and Lois laid her hand lightly over his heart, feeling it speed up with her touch.

His brows furrowed in confusion, "What do you mean?" Clark exclaimed, sounding exasperated by her response, or lack of one. "Didn't you hear what I just said?"

"Yes, Clark and I've known lots of guys with special abilities, believe it or not. Unfortunately, most of them threw their talents away because they didn't know how to handle them," Lois continued, trying to make him understand that his secret was about so much more than what he could do. "Tell me what's in your heart. That's what's important."

Clark was stunned. For a minute, he simply gave her a blank look. Then, closing his eyes, he squeezed her hand and began to speak.

"I'm one of the last of my kind, from a planet destroyed …"

For the next hour or more, Lois listened as Clark told her the story of a little boy who was placed in a space ship and sent to earth, of the people who found and raised him, of the tribe who put him in their legends, and of others with abilities who had become his friends. It didn't' matter that she'd heard a lot of it before. She listened intently while Clark opened himself to her, showing her his heart with each and every word.


	10. Chapter 9 Bloodline Back

**CHAPTER NINE - BLOODLINE BACK**

_**Talon, one week later**_

Lois breathed deep. Oh, the smell of coffee. It was more invigorating, more addictive than her morning run and that was saying something.

Sweats on, hair still in a pony tail, Lois stepped up to the counter to place her order. She made note of the regular Saturday crowd and nodded to a couple of familiar customers. Stopping by after a run was part of her routine at least before the jeweler escaped. It felt good to get back to it now that the jeweler was locked up. She needed to work off some energy, particularly after this week.

Since the night Clark revealed his secret, Lois felt like a little girl on a teeter totter. Her bothersome inner child, at random times of the day, felt the need to remind her of the obvious.

_Clark told you his secret … Clark told you his secret …_

And then, no matter what she was doing, her face would break out in an annoying smile. Randall had become so irritated with her arbitrary grins that he'd lectured her for an additional two minutes one day for "making fun of the boss."

Waiting to place her order, Lois thought back on the giddy feeling she'd had the "morning after."

_Grabbing her high-heeled shoes in her hand, Lois headed out of the bedroom, putting on one and then the other before making her way downstairs in haste. She was running late for work and really needed her coffee. _

_Clark was sipping his cup at the counter, newspaper in hand, so Lois snatched up her own, yanked Clark's arm, and pulled him with her as she reached for her jacket._

"_Come on, Clark, let's go. We're going to be late."_

_Clark let her drag him about halfway there. Then he planted his feet._

"_Ugh," Lois exclaimed, letting go of his arm so she could grab her jacket and put it on. "If I'm late one more time, Randall's going to have my-"_

"_I think you've probably scored a few bonus points with yesterday's story," Clark interrupted calmly, still holding the newspaper in his hands._

"_Oh, yeah," Lois replied hesitantly. Last night, they hadn't had time to talk about anything but Clark's heritage. "Well, you didn't think I was going to go through all that and not write about it, did you?" Lois asked taking in Clark's annoyed expression._

"_No," he responded, looking down at the front page. "But you gave all the credit for the rescue to the Blur."_

"_Of course," Lois told him. "It wasn't like I was going to expose you to the world," she told him, taking a sip of coffee. Her mind was already on the two stories on her desk and she was anxious to get going. "Besides, it was the truth. The Blur did save-" _

_Her eyes slammed into Clark's as she realized her mistake too late. Even with all that Clark had disclosed last night, they hadn't gotten around to talking about his alter ego. Most of the conversation was centered on Clark's past._

Stepping up to the counter, Lois placed her order and waited, sighing as she remembered the feeling of her stomach dropping to her knees. She'd bottomed out on the teeter totter and the thrill of knowing had been wiped out by the reality of living with secrets. Not everything could be revealed in an evening. It was a reminder that there were still secrets between them, and now most of them belonged to her …

_In response to the panic on her face, Clark closed his eyes in resignation. "How long have you known?" _

"_Known what?" Lois asked, taking another sip. She needed more wake-up juice for this … and time to consider the right response._

"_Lois," Clark warned taking a step toward her. "How long have you known?"_

_Lois sighed, "That you're the Blur?" _

_Clark nodded, his eyes going wide at hearing her say it out loud._

_Looking down at her coffee cup, Lois told him, "Since last month when Jimmy confronted you."_

"_Why didn't you say anything?"_

"_Why didn't you?" Lois challenged, taking her own step forward. If Clark thought he could intimidate her now that she knew about his powers, well he could think again. _

"_Because I … because, well," Clark stammered and then, losing his bluster, he seemed to deflate as his anger dissipated and hurt took its place. "You let me go on last night …telling you things about myself, private things, and it seems that you knew all the time."_

"_But I didn't," Lois told him, looking at his wounded expression. "I mean, I knew that you had powers and that you save people every day without asking anything," Lois stepped even closer and placed her hand over his heart, absentmindedly making note as its beat increase under her fingertips. "But I didn't know most of what you told me last night and, even if I did, I couldn't have stopped you. You must know I wasn't trying to … that I wouldn't … last night was-" _

_Lois had to close her eyes momentarily to stop herself from babbling or breaking down. Things could not unravel now. With his heart continuing its thunderous beat beneath her hand, Lois waited until the silence seemed deafening. Nervously opening her eyes, she tilted her head in response to Clark's confused expression. _

"_But you didn't hint, didn't ask …"_

"_Of course not," Lois returned, growing confused herself. "Your secrets aren't mine to tell. I figured you'd let me know when you were ready. Thank you," she said simply._

"_For what?" Clark asked her, clearly confused by her response._

Placing her money on the table and taking her order, Lois considered Clark's response. It was if, for all his trust in humanity, he still expected the worst reactions to his revelations. Most the time, she was convinced that she knew him better than anyone but, at other times, he was a complete mystery, the smallest things seeming to make him the happiest.

_Lois took a deep breath, trying to find the words to help him understand, to make him see that she knew all about keeping things hidden. "For last night – what you told me – that was a gift, Clark, __**your**__ gift."_

_Clark's eyes widened at Lois' words and then he broke into a smile, appreciation and warmth in his gaze. _

_At the Kent smile, Lois felt her legs grow weak and, reflexively, her grip tightened on his shirt. Her mind wandered to the engagement party where they had stood in the same position only, that night, Clark's hand had been lifting her chin._

_As if he'd read her thoughts, Clark's warm fingers reached out to cup her face._

"_Lois," he said softly, seeming to marvel at her words, and Lois stopped breathing as she waited and wondered …_

_This time it was Shelby who broke the spell, scratching and whining at the door until Clark let him inside for the morning meal._

_While Clark fed the dog, Lois took extra sips of coffee, struggling to catch her breath. When she realized that she was staring at Clark, she shook her head at her own behavior and looked at her watch. _

_Time to get focused._

_"Chop, chop, Smallville," she told him, working to get a grip on her emotions and bring things back to some semblance of normal. "For someone with super speed, you're as slow as molasses. Let's get a move on," she continued talking while walking out the door._

_"Yes, ma'am," Clark responded in a mock military tone, the smile never leaving as he followed her to the car._

Even now, Lois could feel her heart race with anticipation. Her body had been more than willing to share a kiss even as her mind was screaming for her to move away. Engaging in that kind of _activity_ was risky while Lana was around. As much as Lois would like to ignore it, she knew that Clark needed to deal with Lana before he could ever move forward.

_Lana._

Lois sipped her coffee as she considered the only person who consistently put a damper on her inner child. Every time Lana stopped by the Daily Planet or the farm, Lois felt displaced.

Even Clark seemed to be reverting to the past, breaking into intermittent fits of moping and brooding. Disappointed with Clark's response and with her own feelings of insecurity, Lois started avoiding Lana as much as possible. Some part of her knew that it was the coward's approach and yet …

_In every incarnation of Clark Kent, you are his second choice._

After the drama of the week, she'd been relieved this morning to find a note from Clark telling her he'd be gone for most of the day. Unfortunately, her run had given her mind time for worrying and now the last thing she wanted to do was be alone.

Standing at the bottom of the stairs with a coffee in her hand, Lois took a deep breath and headed up the stairs to her former apartment. Chloe was getting some company today.

At the door, Lois paused, disappointed by the sound of voices but not wanting to walk in on the love birds. After a second, she realized that the male voice was too deep to be Jimmy's but, before she could barge in, she was practically bowled over by Davis Bloome.

"Hey, watch the coffee," Lois said, stumbling back and turning to the side, trying to protect her cup.

"Oh, sorry, Lois," he mumbled, continuing down the stairs.

Lois watched Davis leave, a funny feeling in her gut. What was she supposed to do about a murderer who hadn't killed yet? For all intents and purposes he had killed Jimmy, at least in Lois' past. Of course, that could change this time around. Maybe it already had. Lois straightened, remembering that she was here to try to make things better. She needed to get focused. Determined and still a little agitated at the sight of Davis, Lois' call to Chloe came out louder than she intended.

"Lois, what are you doing here?" Chloe asked, jumping a little and slopping her coffee on the counter as a result. When it came to coffee, the cousins were definitely alike, Lois thought as she entered and closed the door.

"What am I doing here? Why was I almost run over by Davis Bloome? Is he making house calls now?" Lois fired off in rapid order, the feeling in her gut still unsettling.

"Whoa, okay," Chloe said, sitting down her cup and holding up her hands in surrender. "I've been helping him with a project. He stopped by to see how it was going."

"So now he knows where you live?" Lois asked incredulously.

"I do live above a public coffee shop, Lois," Chloe answered defensively, picking up her large coffee cup. "What's with the third degree?"

"I just don't trust that guy, Chloe, especially since he tried to hide records-"

"But he wasn't responsible for those murders. If you recall, one of my group confessed," Chloe was growing perturbed.

"I know; it's just …" Lois sighed, walking over to set her own coffee down on the counter. "My gut's telling me something's not right when tall, dark and medical is around."

_And I don't know what else to do to keep him from killing Jimmy …_

"Your gut …?" Lois held her breath at the disbelieving look from Chloe. "Lois, what's going on?"

"What do you mean?"

"Something's going on with you, I can tell. I'm your cousin, remember-"

"Nothing's going on, Chloe, I don't know what you mean …"

"You've been having these gut feelings lately that have a lot to do with me. You've told me to stay away from Davis and yet you also want me to put off my wedding," she continued, raising her arms in frustration. "I'm used to Clark's over-protective nature but lately you've surpassed even him."

"It's not like that, I just-"

"Is it still Jimmy?" Chloe interrupted, clearly bothered by the thought. "I know you've had your issues with him …" Words trailing off, Lois watched as her gaze softened and she came around to put her hand on Lois' arm. "I'm sorry, Lois. Is it the jeweler? Clark mentioned that you had this … uhm, break-"

"Whoa, Chloe," Lois said, removing Chloe's hand as she turned to walk to the couch. The last thing she needed was sympathy, especially after the week she'd experienced. "I'm fine. It's just, you know, being kidnapped is nothing compared to … well, my baby cousin getting married, that's all. It's a lot to take in, I guess."

For a minute, Chloe looked at Lois like she could see right through her. Then she smiled impishly over her coffee cup. "You know what we need?"

"What?" Lois said, squirming a little at that particular glint in Chloe's eyes.

"Some quality cousin time," Chloe told her, walking over to the television. "With all of the wedding stuff, I hardly see you anymore."

Relieved, Lois leaned back against the couch and smiled. "Sure, that sounds great."

After rifling through the movies, Chloe turned to Lois. "Which one's better, Russell Crowe or Christian Bale?"

Lois responded without thinking. "I prefer brooding over angry."

"Really," Chloe said, raising her eyebrows, "since when?"

Lois tried to laugh off the question but inside her inner child was screaming …

_Clark told me his secret … Clark told me his secret …_

That same inner child was urging Lois to tell her cousin everything, just like she used to when they were little girls. The adult warrior in her who'd battled the Darkness was countering and telling her to keep her secrets. What if she revealed too much and messed up the future yet again? Her internal debate raging, Lois kept her face hidden in her coffee, trying to decide what to do.

Chloe took her silence as a confirmation.

"Wow," Chloe breathed out, lowering herself into a nearby chair, eyes wide and face pale. Her eyes were intently studying her cousin. "I can't believe I didn't see this coming. How did I miss it? I mean, you work with the guy and you live with him now. You're practically attached at the hip-"

"Whoa, Chloe, I don't live with Clark …" Lois stuttered at Chloe's considering look. "Uh, I don't know what you're talking-"

"Jimmy always said you guys have chemistry … Does Clark know?"

"You know what? Let's just watch something else," Lois said, starting to panic as Chloe went from considering to convinced, while Lois' internal debate still raged. Trying to act nonchalant, Lois jumped off the couch and walked over to the movies.

In the meantime, Chloe continued on, ignoring her. "If Clark knows, that would explain why he hasn't fallen over himself at the return of La-"

"Okay, how about My Big Fat Greek Wedding?" Lois responded, definitely not wanting to talk about the girl whose return had plagued her all week.

Chloe ignored Lois' question and leaned forward in her chair. "Not until you admit it," she said, her intense gaze turning into a knowing grin. "You like Clark."

At the look on Chloe's face, Lois felt her denial catch in her throat. She swallowed hard.

_**Kent farm, next day**_

Trying to adjust the moving boxes in her arms, Lois stopped outside at the kitchen door. The last of her things were being moved from the Talon to the farm. During their girl's day, Chloe had mentioned the lack of space and so Lois had taken the hint, finally packing up some of her little-used possessions.

While she was filling up four full boxes, she cursed herself for leaving so many things behind.

Why had she done it?

That was easy - she'd never expected Clark to let her stay at the farm for very long. Every day, some part of her still expected him to throw her out. Their ability to share a house together, without killing each other, repeatedly took her by surprise.

Of course, if she took Chloe's advice, they'd be sharing more than a house. After Chloe practically beat a confession out of Lois, the bride-to-be felt compelled to hand out advice.

"_Look, when it comes to matters of the heart, Clark is obtuse. I think that's why he's stuck with Lana so far," Chloe told Lois, grinning when Lois wrinkled her nose at the sound of Lana's name. "He has to know, in no uncertain terms, that you are interested in more than friendship."_

"_Come on, Chloe, I always hated those girls who fought over guys-"_

"_Lois, take it from someone who played the supportive friend. It doesn't work with Clark. He'll take you at your word. He's literal like that," she muttered throwing in a set of fur-lined handcuffs with raised brows and a smile._

When Clark opened the kitchen door from the other side, Lois nervously shoved her moving boxes into his arms with Chloe's words echoing in her brain and visions of furry handcuffs dancing in her head.

"Handle with care, Smallville, I've had those albums since I was ten," she told him, needing to say something, _anything_, to get rid of those kinds of thoughts. Snatching back the top box, she brushed past Clark on the way to the kitchen counter.

"Great, your _Def Leppard Anthology_, can't wait to hear that," Clark responded sarcastically, looking inside the box as he sat it on the counter opposite Lois. "Why are you bringing this stuff here when you obviously haven't missed it?"

"Quit your whining," Lois told him. "I forgot a few things, okay? The love birds don't need my stuff cluttering their nest and we've got plenty of room …" At Clark's amused glance and raised eyebrows, Lois panicked and started babbling. "I mean _you've_ got plenty of room … I mean there's plenty of room here … at the farm, it's big, with lots of space ..."

Rifling through the items in her box like she was looking for something, Lois ignored Clark and his climbing eyebrows. She wondered if the horror she felt at her words was showing on her face.

_Where did that "we" come from?"_

"It's all right Lois," Clark said, reaching across the counter to place his hand on her arm. "I want you to think of the farm as your home."

Before she could adjust to his heat, Clark removed his hand but his words brought an entirely different kind of warmth to her heart. She'd heard the sentiment often enough from Ms. Kent but to hear it from Clark … her eyes rose to capture his, looking for any signs that he was joking with her. His answering smile of sincerity sent a thrill through her to her toes.

_Home._

Lois couldn't resist returning his smile and, as she did, Clark's seemed to brighten. They stood there grinning at each other until the sound of the screen door interrupted.

"Clark?" Lana's voice preceded her into the kitchen.

Lois looked away from Clark, watching as the petite woman walked through the door, garbed in her all-black attire, carrying a plainly wrapped package in her hand. Lois was still adjusting to her shorter hair cut. She seemed even more fragile, more petite, with the shorter hair. It didn't help with her own insecurities that Lois now felt like a clumsy giant next to the smaller brunette.

When Clark turned to greet Lana his smile dimmed slightly.

"Lana, uhm, what are you doing here?"

For a minute, Lana looked taken aback by the question but her reaction was quickly replaced with a confident smile. "I thought we could go over what we discovered yesterday," she said quietly, obviously expecting Clark to agree. She signed, looking around the house with a proprietary air. "This place never changes," she smiled intimately.

When Clark returned the smile, Lois felt like she'd been punched in the gut. At least when Lana showed up at the Planet it was Lois' exclusive domain but here … Lana had lived here, too, and with a few words, she seemed to place her own stamp on the place.

_Home - right._

Lois felt displaced.

Fighting the urge to run, feeling like a third wheel, she looked away and caught a glimpse of the box in Lana's hand. Wondering if she'd dropped something on the way in, she interrupted the silent stroll down memory lane. "What do you have there?"

"Oh," Lana said, not breaking eye contact with Clark. "This was on the front porch. It was leaning up against the outside of the house. It looks like a delivery," she continued, glancing at Lois only when Clark took his eyes of Lana to examine the plain brown paper.

"No return address. That's weird." Clark said, glancing at both women in confusion.

Lois shrugged her shoulders and then watched with Lana as Clark ripped off the paper, revealing a leather case inside. The blue crystal in the case looked very familiar.

"Wait, Clark, that's the crystal I saw at the mansion," Lois cried as soon as he touched it. "I'm sure of it."

The sight of Clark with the crystal triggered something in Lois' memory. Running around the counter, she tried to grab Clark's arm but he jerked it away when the crystal started glowing. Mesmerized, they all stood there watching the blue light until the windows started to rattle.

"Let's hope no more bimbos appear," Lois shouted, trying to break the spell. Clark just looked at her, seemingly stunned by the crystal's power.

"Clark, drop it," Lana cried out, looking around at the shaking house.

"Get back!" Clark shouted, moving away from both women toward the dining room. "Both of you - _run._"

"I'm not leaving you!" Lois cried, racing over to grab the arm holding the crystal. As soon as she touched Clark there was a blue light, she felt her body being pulled, and there was nothing more.

_**Phantom Zone, same day**_

When Lois regained consciousness, Clark was standing over her blocking the suns, both of them. A dry, harsh wind was blowing and Lois felt as if all of the moisture had left her body. Her lips were already cracked and dry. Strangely enough, the wind seemed to alternate between hot and cold temperatures.

Something stirred in her memory at the familiarity of the place.

Had she really told Clark they'd been abducted by aliens?

Mortified by her recollections, Lois closed her eyes. Obviously, this place had not been a hallucination the first time around.

"Lois, are you okay?" Clark asked, and Lois marveled at the fact that he didn't have a scratch on him. Already she felt like she'd suffered any number of little cuts and bruises.

"Where are we?" Lois asked in response, opening her eyes again and letting Clark pull her up to a standing position. "What happened?"

Clark looked at her for a minute. She captured his eyes with her own and tried to hold them but he looked away. He knew something about this place, but he was wrestling with his guilt-

"Clark, you said we need to keep moving."

At the sound of Lana's voice, Lois jerked her head around and realized the she was holding on to Clark for balance. She immediately let go at the look in Lana's eyes.

"Lana, are you all right?" Lois asked her, dimly remembering how horrible this place could be.

Lana shrugged her shoulders, her small frame swaying against the wind when she moved closer to Lois. "Clark says we need to keep moving," she responded, raising her voice to be heard.

"Okay," Lois nodded and turned to find Clark looking at her with concern.

"What?" Lois asked him. "If we need to go … then lead the way," she added, gesturing with her arm for Clark to move in front of her.

While Lana gave Lois a curious look, Lois watched Clark. He was looking between both women as if he couldn't decide what to do or who to protect. Lois would have laughed if she hadn't been fighting her own feelings of inadequacy. Having pushed all memory of this place out of her mind, she didn't feel prepared to deal with it. In fact, something about the harshness of the landscape was calling up memories of her battles in Star City. Forcing them aside, Lois forced herself to focus on walking along the treacherous ground.

It wasn't long before Lois felt physically drained. The wind blew nonstop and kept the strange white sand in and around her nose and mouth. Her throat felt as if it was coated and she was dying of hunger and thirst and, of course, there was nothing to eat or drink. The two suns beat down and seemed to add to dryness of her already dehydrated body. They passed a river that was as red as blood. As thirsty as she was the red liquid was not tempting.

Lagging behind now, Lois watched as Lana stayed side-by-side with Clark through the rough conditions. In fact, she was walking as close to Clark as possible, impressive given that Clark's stride was twice as long as hers.

There was something about the way Lana carried herself. Had she been training? Why? More importantly, why leave Clark to go into training and return? Lois stumbled as the answer came to her - Lana was trying to make herself stronger for Clark. She was trying to be his equal.

She wanted him back.

The realization caused Lois to stumble again, her legs feeling like dead weights. Since Lana's return, Lois had wondered about Lana's intentions. Now she knew, not only did Lana want Clark but she had a plan. As she walked along, the competitive general's daughter couldn't resist assessing whether Lana had formed the better plan.

_In every incarnation of Clark Kent, you are his second choice _…

Lois ran through some scenarios in her head, trying to keep her mind off the harsh conditions, and caught Lana giving her speculative looks over her shoulder. Finally, Lana turned her face to look up at Clark.

"What … tell Lois?" With the wind, only some of her question drifted back.

Clark glanced behind him, nervous expression on his face. Lois could see his body start to drag.

"Lois knows …"

At Clark's words, Lana broke stride for the first time, moving away from Clark as if she'd been struck. After a few steps, she returned.

"How … known?"

"Since … jeweler …" Clark responded, his words muffled.

Lana pursed her lips, obviously upset by Clark's response. It didn't take Lois long to realize that they were talking about Clark's secret. Evidently Clark hadn't told Lana that he'd told Lois. She knew it shouldn't bother her. It was Clark's secret, which is why Lois hadn't said anything about it to Chloe yesterday. Still, it hurt somehow.

Lois tripped over her own feet, feeling the hurt in every part of her body. Putting her hand to her head in an attempt to stop the sudden pounding, she felt her stomach constrict as well. The harsh wind continued irritating her already chapped skin. She really wanted to stop, but she couldn't. Putting her head down, Lois tried to concentrate on her feet, while avoiding the little drama playing out in front of her.

She didn't realize Clark had stopped until she practically ran into him. He reached out to steady her when she started swaying.

"You're doing great," he said, obviously trying to be supportive.

"My legs feel like two-ton barbells," Lois shouted as they all continued to walk a little slower now.

Clark's response was a wan smile, and Lois noticed for the first time that he looked ragged. Was this place getting to him, too?

"How about you; you okay?" Lois asked.

"Fine," he muttered, barely audible over the wind.

Lois raised her brows in his direction, noticing Lana out of the corner of her eye. Her irritation still visible, Lana was listening and looking at Clark suspiciously.

"You don't have any powers here, do you?" Lana queried, looking up at the two suns and back at Clark.

Before responding Clark looked at Lois as if to gauge her reaction or avoid Lana's. He shook his head. "No."

"What is this place?" Lois asked, curious about any place where Clark had no powers.

Both she and Lana waited for Clark to respond but when he hesitated, Lana answered the question for him.

"This is the Phantom Zone, isn't it, Clark?"

Clark winced in response to Lana's tone, which sounded more like an accusation, and Lois couldn't help but glance at the young woman in surprise. If this was part of her strategy to win Clark back-

"Yes, this is the prison my father built," Clark told her, starting to look and sound uneasy.

"So this is the place where you were trapped a few years ago?"

At Clark's nod, Lois spoke up. "How did you get out?"

"Through a portal left for me by my father; I'm trying to find it," Clark told them while walking a little faster, his anxiety becoming almost palpable. Lois reluctantly let him go, some part of her understanding that he needed quiet in order to get his bearings.

Visibly anxious and still irritated, Lana followed and continued to ask questions. "How will you find it? Everything around here looks the same."

At Lana's tone, Lois felt her body stiffen defensively. "I'm sure Clark is trying to spot some familiar landmarks," she told the other woman.

Lana's face reddened slightly, but she didn't back down. "Well, maybe if he told us what he was looking for, we could help."

They turned simultaneously to get Clark's response but he was gone, moving forward with his head down.

"So much for looking for landmarks," Lois muttered under her breath as she fell into step behind Clark.

After a few more feet, at the top of a small ridge, Clark stopped to look at the landscape and waited for the two women to catch up. "We need to pick up …" Clark started, the last part of his remark cut off by a strange cry. Lois flinched at the sound. It was eerily familiar.

"What was that?" Lana's asked, her body tensing.

Lips tightening, Clark responded by turning on his heel and walking at a slight angle from their previous direction. At Clark's silence, Lois grew concerned and tried to concentrate on the last time she'd been here.

"Clark, what made that sound?" Lana asked as she fell into step beside Clark.

Lois watched as Clark's body tense before he kept walking. Lois started counting.

_One, two, three _...

As if on cue Clark slowed down, helping Lana to walk in front of him. Now Lana couldn't talk without turning around.

_Ah, the Kent chivalry …_

Lois would have chuckled in any other situation. Clark's ploy never worked with her. In fact, she'd been known to talk to him while walking backwards just because she knew it drove him-

Another scream interrupted her thoughts, this one coming from the opposite direction of the first. Lana shuddered and stopped, waiting for Clark.

"Enough … what is that?" She demanded, gripping his arm.

"Zoners, the local-"

The rest of Clark's response was lost in the buzzing of Lois' ears as her hearing shut down, followed by her vision. Her body stopped moving, closing all of her senses one by one. She felt herself whimper right before her breaths became shallow and her throat closed.

Another wail and she was listening to the tortured cries of people, the blowing dust turning into the smoke high above the Star City. Night's face appeared in her line of sight and Lois immediately backed away, watching in her mind as his eyes turned red. She gasped and lashed out, fighting with all of her might.

A sharp pain in her head and she was gone.

_She and A.C. were captured, their mission a bust. All that time waiting in the water – time that Lois hated - and they were prisoners of the Darkness anyway. She glanced over at A.C., watching for his signal. The team always had an escape plan. A slight shake of his head told her to wait._

_They continued to struggle as the men drug them along the dock. _

_It wasn't until they reached the end of the pier that Night flew in and landed under the one remaining lamp. The light caught his features, and Lois gasped at his deterioration. He literally looked like the life had been sucked out of him, skinny and sallow, with eyes that reflected his emptiness. _

_She shivered as if the cold from him had penetrated her wetsuit._

_Stone cold eyes looked at her._

"_Lois."_

A cry was ripped from her at the sound.

"Lois."

A different, gentle voice was pleading with her to keep moving, and it penetrated her memories. Familiar and welcome, it seemed to break through the dark and calm her racing pulse.

"Lois."

Still holding her breath, she readied her body for the attack that didn't come. Instead, something soft and warm stroked her face, her hair, and her back. The touch was soothing, calming, and Lois felt her body relax.

"It's okay," a gentle voice kept repeating. "Please, Lois, it's okay, I promise."

So soft, everything was soft and soothing. Soon, the beating of her heart slowed to match the rhythm of the soft words and caresses but, before she could open her eyes, another voice intruded. Lois felt her body grow stiff in response.

"Clark, is she all right? What's wrong with her?"

"I've got this, Lana," the gentle voice responded firmly. "I've dealt with - it's a reaction to the stress, I think. Give me a minute."

Then the soft voice was back. "Lois, open your eyes. It's okay. Look at me, please," the voice begged. "Come on, open your eyes."

How could she resist that voice?

It took more effort that she would have thought to simply comply and, when she did, everything was still dark because her face was tucked up against a chest, a chest in a blue shirt.

Pulling back slightly as awareness returned, she trembled before Clark tightened his grip. She was in his arms and it was his voice that was still whispering her name. His face was gentle; his concern for her obvious but there was something else. Lois searched his eyes, seeing fear in them. He was trying hard not to let her see it, but they were in trouble.

Her meltdown hadn't helped their situation.

Lois knew that she needed to get her wits about her, but she felt so cold. Leaning into Clark, she turned her head just in time to see Lana's considering look.

"I'm okay," she croaked out, reluctantly pulling away from Clark and stepping back. When her leg muscles seized, Lois lost her balance and latched on to Clark's arms.

"You sure?" Clark asked quietly, his hands steadying her.

Again, he was trying not to let her see how urgent their situation was but Lois could hear it in his tone of voice.

"Yeah," Lois whispered this time, trying to get her voice back. "I know we need to keep moving." Her lips cracked as she tried to smile up at him.

His return smile was weak but, before he could respond, Lana spoke up, her voice urgent. "Clark, shouldn't we get going?"

Clark simply nodded and turned determinedly, tucking his hand under Lois' elbow, and helping her walk to the rocks ahead. At the look on Lana's face, Lois tried to pull her elbow away, but Clark wouldn't let her. Walking between the two women, Clark kept his eyes focused forward and ignored them as both continued to give him irritated glances.

Still trying to pull her arm away when they reached the rocks, Lois was surprised when Clark suddenly released her and she went flying backwards. Looking up she spotted a cloaked attacker jumping from the top of one of the rocks. Clark moved to intercept but, before he could, Lana delivered a hard kick to the cloaked figure's legs.

The attacker dodged the kick and spun around, lunging at Lana with some kind of rough knife. Gripping the sand as she tried to get up, Lois felt her hand closed around a loose rock. Picking it up, she launched it at the attacker's knife arm. The knife dropped just as Lana blocked the next charge, ducking under the figure's arm and delivering a kidney punch in the process. By then, Clark was able to grasp one of attacker's wrists and hold it.

In the odd light, Lois thought she saw the glint of a metal bracelet. Looking at it, Clark spoke. "Kara?"

"Kara, it's me," Clark said softly. Lois stopped as Clark's soft words eased her own racing heart.

What was Kara doing here?

"Kal-El," Kara whispered and, at the sound, Lois put her head down on her knees. Still sitting in the sand, Lois was flooded with memories of her future friend and ally. Tears filled her eyes at the thought of their last conversation.

_In the light of the dawn, Kara was returning from patrols, refugees in tow. Most of them were children, abandoned, scared, and wondering what had happened to their world._

_As Lois watched, Kara escorted them to the kitchen and got them started with a meal. Many of them were eating for the first time in days and they all looked at Kara with the same expression. Dressed in white - she refused to wear black even for stealth missions - she looked like an angel._

_Right now, with her dark expression she looked like the angel of vengeance._

"_Trouble?" Lois asked as Kara returned to the main room. _

"_Kal-El," Kara spat out, stubbornly refusing to refer to him as Night. "I almost had him this time-"_

"_Kara," Lois said, grabbing the woman's arm in concern. "You can't challenge him head-on. You know that the Darkness works through him somehow. None of us are strong enough to take down the leader by ourselves. We can't afford to lose you …"_

"_Huh," Kara responded, rolling her eyes in a familiar manner. "The day I can't take Kal-El is the day-"_

"_He's not your cousin anymore, Kara."_

"_I'll never believe that, Lois," she urged, knowing that Lois was one of the only ones with hope for her cousin. "He will always be Kal-El to me …"_

Feeling a hand on her shoulder, Lois wasn't surprised to hear Clark's voice in her ear. "Are you all right?"

Nodding, Lois wiped at her eyes as Clark helped her to her feet. Swaying a little, she looked up to see Lana rubbing Kara's arm and talking to her in a low voice. "Kara … end up here?" Lois could only hear part of her words over the wind.

"What am I … what are you doing here?"

Lois didn't wait any longer but rushed forward to hug her former ally, forgetting for a moment that this was not _her _Kara.

"Lois?" Clearly surprised and almost bowled over by the show of affection, Kara only briefly returned the hug before pulling away.

"You shouldn't be here, either of you," Kara said looking at Lois and Lana, then back to Clark.

"Not really making a social call," Lois told her, shrugging her shoulders.

The smile she was expecting didn't come as Kara simply shook her head, giving Clark a disapproving glare before she turned to walk away. Lois turned to Clark, confused and concerned but he didn't have any answers. In fact, his face was a mirror of her own and he shrugged right before he raced ahead to catch up with his cousin. Lois could only hear pieces of their conversation as she worked to follow along.

"Are you okay?"

At Clark's stupid question, Lois snorted, taking in a nose-full of sand. Of course Kara wasn't okay. She looked like she'd been through hell. They'd all be looking like her soon if they didn't escape this place.

"I thought you were Zoners," Kara said, "Zoners kill." Her voice was emotionless, monotone. Lois recognized that tone from those who'd reached their limits while battling the Darkness … her own fear increased when she realized that if Kara was stuck here then they all could be … Gritting her teeth against as sudden burst of wind, Lois fought to stay upright as she continued to listen for Kara's explanation.

Her ears perked up when she heard Clark say the word "portal."

Lana, who was a little ahead of Lois, must have heard them because she followed up on Clark's question. "Do you know where Clark's portal is?"

Kara's response was muffled by the wind but she could hear Clark's question loud and clear. "Why haven't you used it to get back?"

"I didn't … mistake you did … Zoners got out …" Lois could only catch bits and pieces of Kara's words.

"So … all this time to protect Earth?" Clark asked.

Clark and Kara stopped as they reached the top of a ridge. The wind was even more biting here, scouring the skin and as Lana stopped, she and Lois both kept their heads down, fighting against the intrusive sand.

Inching closer to Kara and Clark, Lois considered their conversation. So those Zoner things could escape? That didn't sound like a good thing. The fact that Clark had released some of them previously came as a complete surprise. Something else she'd miss-

"Looks like Lana can fight, she'll need to," Lois heard Kara say to Clark, and Lois glanced at the smaller woman who seemed to be fading as she rested with her hands on her knees trying to take deep breaths.

"No, she won't, we're sending her back. We're sending them both back," Clark grabbed Kara's arm, turning her to face him, letting her know he meant business.

"How many innocent lives are they worth to you?" Kara asked, and Clark responded as if he'd been slapped, jerking his head back in surprise. Evidently, he hadn't considered that.

"Whoa," Lois shouted, not sure that she wanted to hear Clark's answer as she moved closer to both he and Kara. "I don't know what you two are arguing about but I can tell you right now that we're all going back together or not at all. It's not like we can leave you here, Kara."

Clark and Kara just looked at each other, two sets of blue eyes filled with stubborn intent.

"We need an escape plan," Lois interrupted before the cousins could break into a fight. "With a solid plan we might be able to get back to Earth without the Zoners following us."

Lana, who had moved over to stand with the group, agreed. "What kind of terrain is around this portal?"

Evidently, Kara's escape route was located in a cave-like structure, which Lois thought had lots of possibilities. By the time they reached the ridge surrounding the portal they'd outlined a rough plan. With a nod to each other, Lois and Kara took off to the left, while Clark and Lana headed right in an effort to confuse any Zoners who might be watching.

Once they were on either side of the "cave" Lois and Kara turned to hot-foot it to the entrance. By the time they got there, Clark and Lana were already in position rolling stones in front of the opening to block it. Lois started helping while Kara stood guard. When the opening was narrowed to allow only one person through, they shouted for Kara to enter. Racing, she jumped in and headed straight for the portal device.

An eerie cry sounded on the wind.

_Zoners._

Without words, they both pushed harder on the largest boulder, heaving until it was blocking the entrance.

"Clark, watch it," Lana shouted, as a wraith seemed to fly past Clark's head right before the boulder fell into place. With the entrance obstructed they'd managed to trap themselves and one of the Zoners inside. Clark tried to keep the creature from the portal, but it moved in the air like a ghost. It swept by Lois before she could even reach out.

Continuing to move, it headed for the center of the room with Lois, Clark and Lana right behind. The Zoner made a beeline for Kara, who was working at the raised platform. Lois halted in horror as Kara sliced into her hand with a rough knife.

It was Lana who reached Kara first, after the Zoner took off around the dais where Kara was standing.

"Open it," Lana told her as Kara looked around after seeing the movement of the Zoner for the first time. "We should trust Clark; he'll take care of that thing."

Having temporarily lost track of Clark, Lois turned at the sound of his name and spotted him wrestling with the creature, neither of them budging. Without thought, she launched herself against its side.

"Lois, don't!" Clark told her, just as the Zoner reached out to use Lois' momentum against her. A brief sense of cold claw-like hands and Lois felt herself flying through the cave, landing hard on the sandy floor. Working to push herself up, Lois caught Clark running toward her, giving the creature access to Kara and Lana.

Lois waved him off, unable to speak as she tried to catch her breath. Pointing toward Kara, Lois pulled herself up and started limping toward the portal, watching as the Zoner moved around, staying out of Lana's reach. Circling like a vulture, the creature seemed to be waiting for Kara to open the device that would release it from this world.

Focused now, Kara placed her hand on the top of the pillar and, instantly, a shimmering circle of light appeared behind the dais where the blond girl was standing.

With a scream, the creature launched itself, but Lana was there to block. Claw-like hands reached out to toss Lana aside, but she twisted her body at the last minute and was propelled forward into the circle. She disappeared into the light.

As Kara moved to block the Zoner, Clark approached the creature from the other side. Without hesitating, the creature pushed Kara toward the portal opening and she was pulled in to the circle.

With a strangled cry the creature moved toward the light but Clark managed to pull the Zoner down with a flying tackle. Struggling furiously on the ground the Zoner managed to break through Clark's grip. Once free, it flung itself through the portal, leaving Clark on his hands and knees in the sand.

Her steps halting, still hurting from the Zoner's toss, Lois reached Clark's side and helped him up. "Lois, it won't stay open. Let's go," he shouted.

Hand in hand they raced forward together, jumping toward the circle just as the light flickered and died.

_**Phantom Zone, minutes later**_

Lois shivered as she heard another howl from outside. Zoners seemed to be closing in, and fast. As she sat in the sand, her body rocked back and forth in place. She and Clark were stuck here and they would either have to wait it out and hope for help from the other side or make a run for it to Clark's portal.

Both options carried little to no chance of success.

Clark sat down next to her as another cry tore through the air.

Her body jumped and she pressed her lips together, pulling her knees up to her chest and holding them with her arms. Every nerve felt over-extended, but she refused to break down again.

Next thing she knew, her body was encircled by warm, strong arms, and she stopped moving at the feel of Clark's warmth. Adjusting his body he managed to surround her.

"How long should we wait?" she asked after a moment, relishing the feel him even as her heart pounded with fear.

"The place seems secure for now, so let's give it some more time," Clark said quietly, having walked the perimeter before he sat down. "I'm sure Kara and Lana are making every effort to get us back."

After a couple more cries from outside, Lois felt the ringing in her ears. Breathing deep, she fought against the panic.

"We'll be okay, Lois," Clark responded to the tension in her body. "After all, no one's going to mess with Lois and Clark - right?"

"They'd better not," Lois responded, forcing her body to relax against his. "Tell me about the first time you were here," she asked, hating the panic she heard in her own voice.

Tightening his arms around her, Clark started talking, telling her about the trap set by Brainiac, how Brainiac had used Lex as a vessel for Zod, and how his father's assistant, Raya, had rescued Clark. Scared for Chloe now that she knew what Brainiac was, Lois tried to redirect her thoughts to escaping this place.

"Do you think Raya's still here?"

"No, she was pulled to Earth with the others who go out of here. One day, while I was trying to figure out how to find them all, she showed up at the farm." Clark's voice was warm as he told her about his contact with Raya and Lois could practically feel the connection he felt toward the woman from his home world.

"What happened to her?"

Lois regretted asking the question the minute she felt Clark's body stiffen. It took a while for his answer.

"She died protecting me from one of the escaped Zoners."

The words seemed to reverberate deep inside of her until they struck a chord. With eyes burning Lois felt Clark's pain and recognized it. Clark wasn't obtuse about matters of the heart; he was guarded … afraid … frozen. He didn't want to open his heart and risk the pain of loss. More than anyone, Lois could relate to that. Suddenly, her body, heart and soul ached for him.

"I'm sorry," the raspy tone of her voice reflected her empathy.

His arms tightened around her. "It's okay-"

"No, it's not," she responded, finally tilting her face to look at him, some part of her speaking to her own pain as much as his. "It's not all right … and it's not fair … and I wish I could …"

"What?" Clark asked, his eyes searching her face, looking for an explanation, questioning this unusual display of emotion from her.

Overwhelmed, she could only look at him. Didn't he see the loneliness there, the isolation that called to her, making her ache for him, feel this connection-

Using her arm to pull him down, she latched on to his lips with her own, showing him the all the pent-up feelings she couldn't express in words. The agony of loss, the loneliness, the eventual emptiness – all of it was poured into one kiss – and wiped away when Clark responded with a low moan.

Lois gave herself over to the feel of Clark's lips on hers and kiss quickly grew needy, desperate, as each fought to get closer to the other. Soon, the only sounds in the cave were moans and gasps for breath. Somehow Lois ended up on top of Clark, the feel of his body making her burn. His kiss, his hands moving over her, his little moans seemed to be answering her own needs and she couldn't get enough.

Growing light-headed, Lois eventually had to pull away.

"Lois," Clark practically moaned her name and it was the most beautiful sound she'd ever heard.

Before she could kiss him again, the loud wail of a Zoner caused her heart to constrict. Panicked, her eyes met Clark's as his widened in fear. A shadowy movement caught her attention just seconds before she felt clawing fingers at her throat, scratching and squeezing. Lois cried out and tried to pull away but it was Clark who quickly rolled her over, placing his body between hers and the creature's as it continued to attack.

Trying to protect Lois' face and neck, Clark used his lower body to kick the shadow away just as a light appeared at Lois' feet. She felt some kind of pull and kicked out with her own legs, trying to resist.

Clark looked over his shoulder and held on to her tightly before turning back, his expression calmer. "Lois, it's okay; hold-"

Whatever Clark was going to say was lost as Lois succumbed to the pain on her neck and the panic inside.

…

_Continuing to struggle, she and A.C. were dragged along the dock. Night flew in and landed when they reached the end of the pier. He stood completely still, simply waiting under the one remaining lamp. The light caught his features and Lois gasped at his deterioration. He literally looked like the life had been sucked out of him, skinny and sallow, with eyes that reflected his emptiness. _

_She shivered as if the cold from him had penetrated her wetsuit._

_Stone cold eyes looked at her._

_A.C. must have heard her gasp because he stopped struggling. "Damn, bro," she heard him whisper._

_For just a second, Night's attention was diverted to A.C., so Lois took action, elbowing her attacker and, when she had one arm free, turning to knee him in the groin. He released her other arm with a groan and she took off running toward the water. She heard chaos behind her but kept her eyes focused on the edge of the dock. She felt the tackle from behind right before she hit the dock with a smack._

_Two sets of hands roughly grabbed her by either arm and she was hauled to feet and dragged, kicking and screaming, toward Night, who stood impassively in the same place. Focused on him, she missed seeing the guy she'd broken away from reach out to grab her by the throat._

"_Bitch," he said, jerking her sideways toward him and squeezing her neck with both hands. "You'll pay for that." His look was filled with hate and Lois knew there was no getting away this time._

_She struggled anyway, turning her head and jerking back. A flash caught her attention and she saw Night's eyes burning red. Suddenly, the man's sleeves were on fire. It quickly spread up and down his arms and Lois felt the heat on her neck. He didn't let go. Laughing maniacally, the man hung on to Lois' throat, as they both burned._

…

_**Metropolis General, same night**_

"Lois, look at me; can you look at me?" A vaguely familiar voice directed. "I need you to open your eyes."

Through the fear and pain, the voice was foggy and distant. Lois tried to listen but the fog was thick and her mind numb. Drifting, her mind alerted and her heart swelled when she heard a more welcome voice.

"Is she going to be all right?" Clark sounded worried.

"She should be coming out of this – you say she's lost consciousness before?"

A discreet cough was followed with, "Uhm, yes, Dr.-"

"Hamilton … Emil Hamilton," the voice responded. "I remember when you brought her in after she was strangled." Lois heard some papers rattling before the doctor continued, "I had a hard time getting her to come to then as well. Hmm, seems like your friend has been here a few times this year …"

Lois felt her thoughts drifting until she heard Chloe's voice. "Well, she is a reporter for the Daily Planet and she's a bit … gung-ho when she's working on a story."

"The reason I brought it up is because, based on what her friend Clark described …" the doctor continued, his voice turning curious, "Where is he by the way?"

"Oh, he spotted a family member and went to fill her in on what's going on," Chloe told him.

_Clark left._

Only half awake, Lois felt her chest tighten at the idea.

"Anyway, I only brought up her prior admissions because I think that your cousin may be suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder."

"Really?" Chloe questioned, clearly requiring convincing.

"I'm pretty confident about the diagnosis," the doctor continued, sounding a little defensive at Chloe's skepticism. "According to her chart, Ms. Lane has been through some significant trauma this year. Let's see … she was strangled, kidnapped, electrocuted and then kidnapped by the same man again." Now the doctor sounded incredulous. "It appears that she also collapsed from exhaustion a few weeks ago."

"Let me see that," Chloe demanded, and Lois smiled to herself as Chloe interrogated the poor doctor for the next few minutes.

Feeling exhausted, she drifted again, hearing only pieces of conversation.

"She needs to slow down-"

"Right," Chloe snorted in response, "You don't know-"

"This is very serious …"

"I understand but-"

"If your cousin doesn't learn to calm herself, these breaks could interfere … the stress on her body could cause … medical conditions."

Once again, her mind seemed to focus when Clark spoke.

"I'll make sure she takes it easy, doctor," Lois heard Clark's voice respond and without considering the meaning of the words her body reacted as if to a caress, her heart rate automatically slowing at the timbre of his voice.

_He's back._

"Hmm, do that again, Clark," the doctor directed.

"Do what?"

"Her heart rate slowed at the sound of your voice - tell me, have you brought her out of these before?"

"Uhm, a few times …"

"What?" Chloe's interrupted. "What do you mean a few times? How many of these episodes has she had?"

"Well, why don't you see if you can get her to respond?" The doctor interjected calmly. "I'm not having much luck."

"Okay," Clark reluctantly agreed, while Lois could still hear Chloe sputtering in the background. Then the bed shifted and Lois could feel Clark's heat next to her. Part of her knew that she should open her eyes, but the other part of her - the curious and therefore stronger part - wondered what Clark would do.

Feeling more alert with every passing second, she warmed as Clark's hand gently took hold of her smaller one and began rubbing light circles in her palm. His soft, gentle voice followed and for just a moment her sleepy brain wondered if this was what it was like to wake up next to Clark all the time-

At that crazy thought, hazel eyes popped open and caught Clark's blue ones.

"That was fast," he whispered, eye's narrowing.

Lois simply shrugged, not trusting her voice, and tried to sit up.

She noticed that Clark didn't pull away when Dr. Hamilton stepped forward. "Welcome back," the doctor commented and Lois caught a glimpse of dark, curly hair and glasses before light filled her eyes and the doctor had her following it.

Clark's hand was still rubbing her own, and Lois felt her body continuing to warm with every soft stroke.

_Welcome back, indeed._

_**Metropolis General, one hour later**_

Lois was alone, restless and ready to go home. Chloe was out getting her car, while Clark was talking with the doctor, probably conspiring to keep her under lock and key.

Grabbing her bag, Lois opened the door and peeked out, making sure the coast was clear.

Stepping into the hallway, she looked around for Clark and froze. At the end of the hallway was Lana, simply standing there elegant and composed, like she'd never been to the Phantom Zone.

Reaching for her throat, Lois considered her own messy ponytail and pale complexion and sighed.

_Why here and now?_

Intending to at least acknowledge the smaller woman, Lois stepped forward and stopped at the sound of Clark's voice.

"Lois, stop. That's not Lana."

Just as Lois turned to ask Clark what was going on, Lana spoke.

"Very good, Kal-El," Lana replied and Lois noticed the change in her tone. It was not warm and whispery soft. Instead, it sounded biting. Clark was right; this was not Lana. "Do you know who I am?"

"Faora, wife of Zod," Clark replied, taking a step forward, and Lois felt her eyes go wide at the name. "Now, release Lana."

The smile that appeared on Lana's face was unpleasant. "Of course," Faora responded. "She's not the one you want anyway. She was just convenient."

The next thing Lois knew, the much smaller woman was pinning her against the wall and, no matter how she struggled, Lois couldn't break her grip.

"Now …" Faora said watching as Clark stopped in his tracks. "This human is the one you want," she told him, making a face. "Your feelings for these humans are so easily manipulated."

"Let her go," Clark demanded, taking a hesitant step forward.

"It doesn't matter, Kal-El. Zod may be gone, but our creation will destroy your world and everyone in it that you … love," and Lana's face showed Faora's distaste as she turned back to look at Lois. "What do you know about love anyway?" Faora questioned, still holding Lois in her grip.

Lois struggled but Lana was strong, as in _intergalactic bimbo_ strong. When Lois realized that Faora must be supplying Lana's strength, she stopped struggling, preserving her own energy for the right time. Unable to watch Lana's cold, accusing stare, Lois turned to Clark, who was struggling to maintain control.

Following Lois' gaze, Faora turned to Clark, shaking her head as if she'd gotten off track. "Tell me, Kal-El, have you even told this woman your feelings for her?" She studied Clark's surprised expression and laughed wickedly, while Lois closed her eyes.

_Not again._

For a minute, her heart had swelled at the Zoner's words before she realized that the creature was simply taunting them, just like the Darkness. Clark couldn't really have those kinds of feelings for her-

"Of course not … understandable, given your parentage, I suppose. After all, did Jor-El or Lara come looking for you? No, they didn't love you like I love my son. I came back to bring him to power."

"Lana, I'm sorry," Clark said, trying to ignore Faora, but Lois had seen the flash of hurt in his eyes and felt the pain of his loss. With each passing second, Lois grew angrier with the day's events. Clark had been hurt enough-

"Oooh," Lana's cloying voice interrupted Lois' thoughts. "This one knows how to love, Kal-El. She is ready to attack me now, not for her own sake, but because I caused you pain. A warrior like her loves fiercely," and Lana's eyes seemed to look through Lois to her heart. "Perhaps I didn't give you enough credit. Too bad you'll have to lose her."

Faora reached for Lois' throat just as Clark rushed forward. Before Lana could get a solid grip, Lois head-butted her as hard as she could. Fighting to stay alert she heard Clark call out to someone as Lana fell back, loosening her hold on Lois. Lois looked down the hall to where J'onn and Kara were standing as she fell to floor. J'onn was holding some kind of device out toward them. Its red light caught Lois' attention just before everything went black.

_**Kent farm, four days later**_

Lois was late again. Running down the stairs in her bare feet, she stopped at the bottom and held on the rail while she slipped on one of her high heels.

Holding up the other foot, she paused when Clark cleared his throat, wobbling a little at the over-protective look on his face. Determined, Lois straightened and smirked as she placed her newly shod foot on the floor. She'd been cooped up at the farm for three days; it was time to get back to work.

"What?" Lois challenged, crossing her arms in front of her.

"Nothing," Clark said, his eyes seeming to roam over her. Smiling slightly, he took another sip of coffee.

Ignoring the flush in her face – Clark's gaze seemed to linger on her legs a little longer than necessary – she took in his casual appearance. "Why aren't you ready? We're late for work," Lois continued, going on the offensive at the thought of a lecture.

"I've decided to take the day off and spend it with Kara," Clark told her, losing his smile as he looked down into his cup. "I think the time she spent in the Phantom Zone really affected her."

Immediately contrite when she heard the guilt and concern in his voice, Lois walked forward, grabbing her own cup of coffee and placing a sympathetic hand on Clark's arm. "She'll be okay, Clark. She just needs some time to adjust to being back in civilization, back around people," Lois told him sincerely. If anyone could understand Kara's issues, it was Lois-

"That's why I'm staying home today. I don't want to leave her alone."

"Oh," Lois said, her excitement at returning to work fading a little at the thought that Clark wouldn't be there. Realizing where her hand was resting, she removed it quickly, automatically raising it to rub at her throat, her recent injury having brought back the old habit. Before it could reach, Clark was standing up and his hand was holding hers, gently pulling it away.

"Is something bothering you, Lois?"

Ready to snark in response, her mind froze when Clark raised his other hand to her throat, lightly tracing the marks left by the Zoner with his warm fingers.

"The scars are disappearing," he commented softly and Lois couldn't remove her eyes from his profile as he studied her throat with great interest.

"I guess so," Lois gulped, the light caresses bringing butterflies to her stomach and his nearness causing her blood to boil.

Clark's hand stilled as he looked at her face, his expression tender. "Are you sure you're up for work today?"

"What? Of course," Lois told him, stepping away from his tender gaze before she did something stupid.

What was Clark doing anyway?

Ever since her second, and final, release from the hospital three days ago, they'd gone back to being friendly, ignoring Faora's words and her crazy response in the Phantom Zone. She'd been grateful to have the quiet to recover, although her mind had returned again and again to that kiss and the feelings that went with it. Clark's tender expression only brought back the intensity.

Shaky with emotion, Lois snatched up her coffee and stepped closer to the door. She needed to get back to work.

Pressing his lips together as he watched her retreat, Clark stuffed his hands into his pockets and at her. "Lois, I'm not sure that's such a good idea-"

Relieved at being back on familiar ground, she straightened her spine before responding. "I'm fine, Clark. After all, I can't stay cooped up here forever."

At the considering look on Clark's face – one that told her he would gladly lock in her room if he thought it would work – Lois shuffled even closer to the exit and freedom. By way of distracting Clark she blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "How's Lana doing?"

_Where did that come from?_

"What?" Clark seemed as surprised by the question as Lois was. "She's fine, I guess. I've only heard from her once since the hospital … She's looking into some theory."

"What theory?" Lois asked intrigued by anything that would keep Lana away.

"Oh," Clark answered distractedly. "She thinks Lex sent the blue crystal."

"Lex? I thought he was dead," Lois said, starting to get concerned. "Didn't you tell me that he knows about your secret? If he's alive-" Lois stepped closer to Clark, agitated at the thought of Lex Luthor walking around with Clark's secret in his head.

"If he's alive, then I'll deal with him," Clark told her, running his hand through his hair and growing more defensive as he continued to talk, even after Lois opened her mouth to speak. "But I'm not racing all over the world looking for him."

Picking up on Clark's defensive tone, Lois lowered her voice. "Is that what Lana wants you to do?"

"She's obsessed," Clark told Lois, as his defensiveness turned to concern. "She's convinced that Lex is alive, that he's monitoring Tess, the Daily Planet, her, me …"

"What do you think?"

"Knowing Lex, anything's possible but, if I drop everything to look for him, hasn't he won? I'm trying to build a life of my own now as a reporter … as the Blur," Clark's voice was considering, like a man who was trying to convince himself. "Besides, I'm not a vigilante. I want to protect people and I can't do that by focusing on just one bad guy."

Blue eyes, which had drifted away during his speech returned to look at Lois and she smiled at the sincerity, and the uncertainty, in them.

"Okay," Lois said, taking a sip of her coffee from her travel cup. Clark was right. Of all of the bad things that happened in the future, Lex wasn't one that Lois had heard about. Of course, anything could happen now, but at least Clark was aware of the threat. Going after Lex was Clark's decision. She turned to walk outside.

"What do you mean, 'okay?'"

"I mean, 'okay,' Smallville," Lois told him, looking at her watch as she turned back to face his astonished gaze. "Whether or not you go after Lex is your call. Go with your gut," Lois said distractedly. "Look, I'm running late. Randall's going to kill me. I've got to-"

Lois abruptly lost her train of thought as Clark appeared right in front of her.

"Whoa … okay, no using the powers to trap me," Lois told him, jumping at his quick proximity and taking a step back. "And this," she added, waving her hand the very short distance between them, "is a personal space breach."

"Oh, so you can jump me in the Phantom Zone but I can't get within …" Clark looked down at the slight distance between them, "six inches of you without you calling foul. That hardly seems fair."

At Lois' wide-eyed expression, Clark raised his brows and inched even closer, much to her body's excitement and her brain's dismay.

"Are we ever going to talk about what happened-" Clark started, eyes peering at her through long, dark lashes.

"Wh-why would we talk about that?" Lois stuttered, inching toward the kitchen door.

"You told me to go with my gut and my gut's telling me we should talk-"

"Well, you've obviously got indigestion or something."

"Lois," Clark said, taking another step forward. "I think we should talk about … us."

"Wh-wh-what?" Lois stopped in her tracks, feeling flabbergasted, thrilled, and horrified all at the same time. Was Clark really going to ... "What us?"

At Clark's annoyed - and slightly hurt - expression, Lois tried to correct herself. "I mean I know that we're co-workers … and friends and … and …"

Clark's mouth tilted up a one corner in a confident smile, causing Lois' heart rate to accelerate. He reached out and, with a slight tug, pulled Lois into his chest.

"And … this," he mumbled against her lips before he claimed them with his own. At the feel on his lips on hers, her entire body combusted.

Okay, so maybe there was something to talk about …


	11. Chapter 10 Abyss Altered

**CHAPTER TEN - ABYSS ALTERED**

_Clark's mouth tilted up a one corner in a confident smile, causing Lois' heart rate to accelerate. He reached out and, with a slight tug, pulled Lois into his chest._

"_And … this," he mumbled against her lips before he claimed them with his own. At the feel on his lips on hers, her entire body combusted._

_Okay, so maybe there was something to talk about …_

It was the last coherent thought she had for some time. All she could do was feel, as his soft lips slid over hers and his tongue moved against hers in a rhythm that seemed as natural as breathing now. Gradually his hands slid from her arms around her back to pull her even closer and she felt the hard contours of his body meet and match the softness of hers. In response her hands slid up his chest and tangled in his hair as she pulled herself even closer.

She'd never admit it to him but when Clark took the initiative it sent her a little over the edge. Knowing that he wanted her made her feel free - free to caress, kiss and explore - in a way that didn't happen when she made the first move.

Finally desperate for air she pulled away and realized that Clark had lifted her up until her feet were not longer touching the floor. She couldn't resist teasing him. "Trying to sweep a girl off her feet, Smallville?"

"Lois …" he breathed, his eyes still closed in pleasure, and she felt herself fall over the edge, the last drop of her reserve disappearing as she attacked his neck, running her lips along the long column, kissing the muscles while taking in his scent.

"Unh … Lois?" Clark stumbled back a little in response to her assault.

Lois ignored him, conversation being the last thing on her mind. Instead, she was desperate to feel more of Clark, taste more of Clark. She'd have crawled inside his skin if it was possible-

"How … do?" he started to ask, pausing as her lips continued up his strong jaw, her nips and kisses causing him to shudder. By the time he stuttered those words his hands had stilled but his arms were still holding her as his focus seemed to shift.

_Oh right, he wanted to talk._

Done with words, Lois didn't stop kissing his neck, running her lips along the underside of his strong jaw. He tasted incredible.

"Good …" he stuttered as Lois lightly nipped at his chin. "You make me feel … good," Clark managed to choke out, his voice filled with astonishment.

"Good …" Lois repeated, her mind only half focused on her words as she devoted her attention to devouring Clark. "Hmmm," she muttered as she kissed the dimple in his chin. She wanted to kiss every part of him.

As his words penetrated her brain, her body shuddered in response. God, she made him feel good - could it get any better than that?

"You should feel good," she muttered wondering at the sense of surprise in his voice. She moaned a little as his hands began moving over her again, her thoughts frozen as she reveled in his touch.

_What did he expect?_

He certainly made her feel good … great … wonderful. Why wouldn't she do the same for him? She focused on the exquisite feel of his lips as she moved her mouth upward and her eyes closed in pleasure.

"Good," she repeated, whispering against his soft lips. "Love shouldn't be painful…"

Clark's body grew completely still. "Love?"

Her eyes popping open, Lois glimpsed shock in Clark's before she hastily pushed herself away. Scrambling clumsily, practically climbing off of his tall frame, her eyes met his for just a second. Panicked by her complete loss of self-control, she didn't even bother with her coffee as she ran out the door, leaving Clark in the middle of the kitchen, still frozen in place.

Quickly putting the key in the ignition she sped away, a trail of dust following her as she cursed herself and her big mouth.

What had she said?

What had she done?

She was an idiot.

_**Kent farm, next night**_

"Lois, what's going on?"

"What do you mean?" at Chloe's impatient expression, Lois answered. "Well, _I'm_ hosting a welcome home party for Kara, if that's what you mean …"

"You know that's not what I'm talking about," Chloe remarked, snatching a cracker off of one of the many snack trays littering the kitchen counter. She plopped it into her mouth with a concerned look. "What's with you going at warp speed? I don't' think you've sit down once during this party and you haven't really talked to anyone."

"Well, it is Kara's party," Lois shrugged, avoiding Chloe's penetrating look while busily rearranging the trays that completely covered the kitchen countertop.

"Whoa," Chloe commented, lowering her face to try to catch Lois' eye. "This looks serious." Keeping her own face lowered, Lois could see Chloe glance out to the living room. "You do know you and Clark haven't said one word to each other all night," Chloe remarked. "Does this have something to do with him?"

When Lois didn't respond, Chloe took a long, hard look at Clark. She considered him for a few minutes before she gasped and grabbed Lois' arm, dragging her out of the kitchen and onto the porch.

Practically numb for the last day and a half, Lois barely noticed the cold night air as Chloe pushed her out the door, closing it behind her.

"Lois, did you sleep with Clark?" Chloe's voice was a combination of shock and awe.

Stunned by Chloe's question, Lois could only stare in amazement as she practically shouted, "No!"

The vehemence of her cousin's response caused Chloe to take a step back and throw her hands up in the air. "Okay … but something's going on with you … and with him. Clark looks like, I don't know, like someone dropped a bomb on him."

"Yeah, the 'L' bomb," Lois muttered to herself.

"I'm sorry … did you just say the 'L' bomb?"

Did she just say that out loud?

What was with her mouth lately?

Lois walked forward to lean against the porch rail, looking over at the barn. There were times, just a few, when she wished she could brood alone, when she wished she had a fortress of her own, when she wished she didn't have an insatiably curious cousin. Lois sighed, knowing there was no avoiding Chloe when she was like this. Truth was Chloe was the real pit bull on a pant leg.

"Uhm, I'm sorry," Chloe said, walking up next to Lois and leaning against the rail. "Did you say the 'L'-"

Lois grimaced as Chloe proved the point with her insistence. Looking to the stars, praying for patience, she kept her voice low as she interrupted her cousin. No need to repeat the painful truth. "You heard me."

"Uhm, wow," Chloe said, lowering her own voice as she leaned in toward her cousin. "I didn't know you felt … we are talking about lo-"

"Yes, okay!" Lois told her, losing the sense of control that had been slipping since yesterday morning's confession. Taking a deep breath at the expression on Chloe's face, Lois calmed herself. It wasn't Chloe's fault. Lois was the one who'd blurted out her feelings in the middle of a passionate moment. That wasn't how things were supposed to happen. She never planned to be the one to say it first.

Still aching from Lana's return and the attack in the Phantom Zone, Lois had tried to maintain some boundaries, take a step back after the intensity of her feelings in the cave, the strength of the connection both thrilling and terrifying. She'd only felt that deep connection once before – succumbing to it had ended badly.

She'd tried to escape at the hospital but then the Zoner's words, coming from Lana's mouth, hadn't helped her get a handle on her feelings. A little space and time, some distance, light banter - those things were working - until Clark pulled her to his chest and kissed her right in the middle of the kitchen.

_You make me feel … good._

Even now, Lois shuddered at the thrill that went through her. When Clark had said those words, she'd felt such a rush, like something she'd only dreamed of, and then …

"I've ruined everything, Chloe," Lois whispered, giving voice to her worst fears.

"You haven't ruined everything," Chloe told her, placing her hand on Lois' arm. "You were just being honest. I mean, I assume you were being honest … we haven't really talked about those kinds of feelings … well, I mean, at least not as to Clark."

Lois couldn't help the sad little smile on her face at the nervous tone in Chloe's voice. The cousins were alike in more ways than one. Neither one liked to gush about her feelings, each one a woman of action.

"Well, you did tell me that Clark is oblivious and that I should be direct," Lois told her, trying to bring the conversation back to more comfortable territory.

"I guess I did," Chloe responded still looking a little stunned. "But I didn't realize …" her voice trailed off as she looked away. "So, how did Clark take it?"

Lois shook her head, staring up at the stars. "What did you say, like 'someone dropped a bomb on him'?"

"No … I mean what did he say?"

"Nothing," Lois told her, sighing in a mixture of both relief and frustration.

"What?" Chloe asked, her voice growing suspicious. "Wait … you haven't talked to him, have you?"

Lois winced as Chloe grabbed her arm and held it in a death grip. "You need to talk to him, Lois. You should march in there right now and find out how he feels. He could be-"

"He could be what, Chloe, pining away for me?" Lois jerked her arm back. "I don't think so … anyway, if he really wants to talk to me, he knows where I am. I live right here, right under his nose, in case you've forgotten."

"No, it's just … I know you. I've watched you tonight. You've made yourself so busy that Clark would have to use super speed to try to get your attention, so don't tell me he knows where you are." Chloe's expression grew sympathetic as she loosened her grip. "Look, maybe you jumped the gun, but-"

Chloe broke off her speech as the sound of the door as they both turned to see Oliver emerge from the kitchen. Lois watched Chloe's expression darken.

"Hey, ladies," he said with a tentative smile. "What's going on out here?"

"Nothing," Chloe mumbled, quickly moving to go inside. Oliver stepped in front of her as she tried to get by.

"Actually, Chloe, I was hoping to talk to you, if you don't mind?"

"I do mind," Chloe muttered, rubbing her arms while ignoring Oliver. "It's freezing out here." Oliver sent Lois a pleading look.

"I think I'll go get some warm drinks started for us," Lois said, walking past Chloe and Oliver to the door. As she passed by, she thought she heard Chloe mutter "traitor" under her breath but she wasn't sure.

Inside the warm kitchen, Lois grabbed a drink that she'd previously mixed for herself and casually made her way over to the window. What was up with Chloe and Oliver? Her interest piqued, desperate to have something besides her latest disaster to think about, Lois stepped in front of the window to listen.

"What the hell are you doing, Chloe?" Oliver asked, not even trying to hide his frustration.

"What do you mean?" Chloe responded, equally as agitated.

Through the window, the voices were a little muffled so Lois moved even closer.

"Don't give me that," Oliver told her. "I watched while you used that device to bring Lois and Clark back. Your eyes turned white and then - with one hand mind you - you pushed me into another room. Clark tells me it's Brainiac. What are you doing about this?"

When there was silence, Lois heard Oliver's voice drop.

"Damn it, you aren't doing anything about it, are you?"

"Oliver, let it go," Chloe said, becoming even more irritated. "Like I told Clark, I'm choosing to see this as a positive-"

"White eyes, nose bleeds and super strength are positives for you, are they? Or, maybe, you just like the thrill of power, being able to push me and Clark around ..."

"What are you talking about?" Chloe's voice was furious and Lois couldn't help smirking to herself. "Look, if you need an apology, I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean to hurt you but, if I hadn't been able to do those things, Clark and Lois would still be stuck in the Phantom Zone."

"At what cost to you, Sidekick?"

"Oliver-"

"No," Oliver interrupted. "You're messing with things that aren't human and that you can't fully understand, no matter what you think. Eventually, you're going to get hurt."

"I can take care of myself," Chloe's voice was low and menacing. "And the next time you want to find out something about me, talk to me first and not to Clark. He's not my keeper."

Lois couldn't help but grin. Even though she was worried about Chloe, she couldn't help but be proud of her cousin. She was certainly holding her own with Oliver.

"Well, somebody should be," Oliver muttered and Lois winced at that one, waiting for Chloe to explode.

Whatever Chloe's response, it was interrupted by Clark's voice next to her ear. "Lois, are you eavesdropping?"

At the feel of his warm breath, Lois dropped the glass she was holding and watched in horror as it fell. It was only Clark's quick reflexes that stopped it from crashing. Her eyes closed as he handed it to her with a knowing look on his face.

"What?" Lois asked keeping her eyes closed.

"Lois," he said, drawing her name out in frustration.

Her eyes opened and her heart rate accelerated when she felt him step closer. Silently, she cursed her body for reacting to him. "Hey, it's part of the hostess' job to make sure that fights don't break out-"

"And how is that working for you?" Clark asked in a low, sardonic tone as Chloe stormed into the kitchen, letting the door slam behind her. Before Lois could respond, Chloe walked up to them.

"I need a drink," she said, grabbing Lois' glass. Trembling slightly in anger, Chloe brought the drink to her lips and took a large swig. Coughing and gasping, she managed a choked whisper. "What's in this thing?"

Lois shrugged, seeing Clark's concerned look. "Uhm, I don't know. It's something new I put together. I was going to call it Liquid Courage_." _

Chloe's took a deep breath as she lifted the glass into the air with a victorious grin, eliciting an eye roll from Clark. "I could use a little of that. Here's to Liquid Courage_."_

_**Kent farm, twenty minutes later**_

Lois was in the kitchen mulling over Chloe's words. They were starting to make sense, especially now that Lois had downed a couple of glasses of her own drink.

At least the party was a success, even if she had planned it in part as a distraction. Kara was smiling and laughing, appearing comfortable and relaxed for the first time since she'd returned from the Phantom Zone. Standing in the living room, hands in her pockets, she was smiling at one of Jimmy's jokes, while he was hanging onto Chloe who was a little unsteady on her feet after a couple of glasses of Liquid Courage. Chloe was obviously ignoring Oliver, who was shooting her frustrated looks from across the room. When Oliver wasn't glaring at Chloe, he was deep in conversation with J'onn and Clark. Those three were the only serious ones in the room.

It was while Lois was smirking in Oliver's direction than Clark caught her gaze. Her resolve wavered at his direct, wide-eyed stare. His blue eyes were filled with curiosity and uncertainty. He was obviously still processing her confession. Ready to lower her eyes at the bewilderment in his, Lois squared her shoulders instead. Did it matter that Clark was confused? That was a perpetual condition for him.

_You must continue to support and challenge him._

Rokk's words or her own alcohol-based drink fueled her determination. Maybe it was time to face her fears, face her demons. Poised to march into the living room and talk to Clark, smiling as his eyes grew even wider at the resolute look on her face, she stopped when J'onn appeared in front of her.

She stepped away from the counter when she saw his concerned expression.

_Not another one; Chloe and J'onn should form a club-_

"You know, for a festive event, I feel a lot of tension in the air," J'onn commented from across the counter, blocking Lois' view of Clark. Wondering what J'onn was up to, she watched his enigmatic expression as his hand reached for a cookie. She couldn't resist smiling when he took a very satisfied bite. After all, she'd set out the cookies just for him.

At a quirk of his brow, she responded. "Yes, well, Chloe and Oliver had a little blow up earlier."

"And … J'onn continued in his unruffled tone, "you and Clark?".

"Don't ask," Lois replied, grabbing her own cookie off the tray. "That's old news. The real question is what you, Clark and Oliver were talking about just a minute ago?"

At J'onn's silence, Lois speculated, keeping her tone casual, "Looked like a strategy session to me. Let me see, should I try to guess what the three of you might be planning …"

J'onn shook his head, giving her a small smile as he did so.

"What?" Lois asked, tilting her head to the side.

"I can see why you're a good reporter," he commented.

"Flattery will get you nowhere." Grinning nonetheless, Lois leaned across the counter. "Now, spill …"

"Actually, we were talking about the Zoner who attacked you."

"Really?" Lois was surprised; the creature had been sent back. What was there to talk about? "What about her?"

"I have been concerned with why a Kryptonian criminal was visiting the hospital and, more importantly, who she was visiting."

"She said she had seen her son," Lois told him, making a face as she remembered the Zoner's words … and her tight grip. "Do you think it was someone at the hospital?"

"Maybe," J'onn said distractedly. Placing his drink on the counter, he walked around it to stand next to Lois.

"Does Lana remember anything?" Lois asked him, taking note of his distracted expression. Something was bothering him about the Zoner's son. Either that or he knew something she didn't.

"It doesn't appear so."

"What do you mean, doesn't 'appear so?' Lois asked as J'onn's words sank in. "Hasn't anyone talked to her?"

"From what I understand, Ms. Lang hasn't been around much since the incident."

"Right," Lois remarked quietly, recalling her conversation with Clark the morning before. "She's been following up on her theory that Lex sent Clark to the Phantom Zone."

J'onn didn't answer, glancing instead toward the kitchen door.

Lois followed his gaze, watching at the subject of their discussion walked in and looked around, her dark eyes reflecting her surprise at seeing the small crowd gathered.

"Looks like she's back," J'onn commented quietly, his eyes turning to examine the expression on Lois' face. "Maybe we'll all get some answers tonight."

_**Kent farm, same night**_

The cousins were on a mission, the kind that could only be formed by a combination of alcohol and curiosity. Fueled by both, Chloe was giggling when they entered the barn.

"Shhh," Lois whispered, starting to regret letting Chloe talk her into to coming out here. If they were caught, they'd learn nothing and end up looking like drunken fools. This kind of mission required stealth.

"Right," Chloe whispered none too quietly, giggling again.

Lois rolled her eyes, "You go stand watch at the door. I'll let you know if I hear anything."

"No way," she managed to whisper. "They always leave me out of their little plans … at least until they need computer ... stuff." Chloe was obviously struggling to find the right words. "Then it's 'help us Chloe,' 'we can't do this without you,' and 'it's a matter of life and death,' blah, blah, blah."

Sticking her chin out determinedly Chloe pointed to the bottom of the stairs and moved forward. Shaking her head in response, Lois reluctantly followed. When they reached their destination, Chloe leaned against the wall, while Lois rested against the stair rail, both of them listening to the voices in the loft.

"It's a solid lead, Clark," Lana's voice wafted down airily.

"As solid a lead as we've ever had on the bastard," Oliver chimed in. "If we're going to move, it needs to be now."

"Right now?" Clark sounded dubious.

"You know Lex is scrambling signals faster than we can track them. He could be on the move as we speak. It needs to be now," Lana argued.

Lois could almost see Clark running his hand through his hair as his next comment sounded anxious. "I don't want to leave Kara. This party is for her, and … uhm Lois went to a lot of trouble to put it together-"

"With you on this, we could be back before they know we're gone," Oliver persisted.

"I doubt that."

From the tone of Clark's voice, Lois knew that he'd probably heard her and Chloe. She regretted even more letting her cousin talk her into this.

"Look, if Lois knows your secret, she'll understand," Oliver told Clark and then in a lower tone of voice, as if to himself, "I wish I'd figured that out-"

Clark's voice interrupted in an irritated tone that contained just a hint of resentment. "What about Kara?" Clark countered. "She was taken to the Phantom Zone and left there by Brainiac. I didn't look for her; didn't think about him leaving her there. I abandoned her in that hell hole, and I need to spend time with her now that she's back. She's family."

"Clark, if Lex knows your secret he could destroy your family … and everything else that you've worked so hard for," Lana insisted, a little dramatically Lois thought.

"All this time and he hasn't made a move," Clark responded. "I'm willing to risk that he won't do anything before tomorrow."

"It's your life," Oliver muttered, and Lois bristled in response. In some ways Oliver hadn't really changed from the future; she was just now seeing how much he badgered Clark … was it frustration or envy?

Heavy footsteps sounded from above and so Lois moved, taking that as the cue to leave. Unfortunately, when she turned to her cousin, Chloe was passed out, snoring lightly against the wall. Bending low, making an effort not to mutter in disgust, Lois tried to toss Chloe over her shoulder. Grunting with the effort, she stopped at the sound of a familiar mocking voice.

"Need some help?"

Rolling her eyes, Lois kept her voice at a whisper. "No thanks, Ollie. I've got it."

"Yeah, I can see that," Oliver said as Lois struggled to get to her feet, Chloe's dead weight more than she expected.

"Out of my way," he sighed exasperatedly. When Lois moved, he lifted Chloe with ease and cradled her against his chest.

"Any particular place you want Sleeping Beauty?" Oliver asked, evidently surprising himself with his words. Lois caught his startled look before it was covered by his usual mocking expression.

"Couch for now," Lois whispered, wanting to get out of the barn as quickly as possible.

"You know," he said leaning toward her and keeping his voice low. "The Lois I know would have stormed the fortress by now." His eyes darted up to the loft.

"Maybe I'm not the Lois you know anymore," she told Oliver, disgusted at herself for listening to Chloe, for being discovered by Oliver, and for eavesdropping at the bottom of the stairs.

Studying her face with a serious expression, he shifted Chloe a little before he responded, "No, you're tougher." He shook his head, "Clark's an idiot," he muttered before turning with arms full of Chloe to walk out of the barn.

Staring after Oliver, trying to process his words through a now pounding head, the last thing she expected were Lana's soft words wafting down from the loft.

"Clark, you know I'm only trying to protect you."

Lois shivered at the silence that greeted her statement. It seemed deafening in the cold night air, and she found herself wanting to shout to Clark to walk away, turn away, say something …

"Clark?" Lois heard the uncertainty in Lana's soft voice and flinched at it. She needed to get out of here but her legs wouldn't carry her. Lois felt frozen in place by the woman above, afraid to leave and afraid to stay.

"I know, Lana," Clark's voice sounded resigned. "It just seems that …"

"What?" Lana's voice didn't sound so soft anymore.

"I can't shake the feeling that you've got your own reasons for going after Lex."

"Why would you think that?" Lana's tone was pained. "After all we've been through, you still don't trust me, do you?"

Even on her own, Lois couldn't resist rolling her eyes. Was that girl always so dramatic?

"It's not that ... I'm just worried about you. This thing with Lex has become an obsession."

Clark's tone was caring and Lois felt it squeeze her heart, even though logically she knew that Clark cared about all of his friends. Still, something about Clark's tone penetrated enough that Lois could move and so she took a couple of steps, only to be stopped by the sound of Lana's harsh laugh. It was filled with pain.

"You think this is about Lex?" Lana's tone changed from pained to coaxing. "It's always been about you, Clark. You have no idea what I've done, what I'm willing to do, for you … for us."

"Uh, Lana," Clark's voice was apologetic. "I ... I, uhm-"

"It's all right, Clark, I know I need to prove myself to you. I'm willing to take the time to do that."

The silence that followed was more than Lois could handle. It seemed to continue for hours even though Lois knew it was only minutes before she could move again. With tears in her eyes, she stumbled out of the barn and back to the light of the farm house, her wayward brain filling in the silence that trailed behind her like a nightmare.

She reached the porch before the nightmare caught up with her.

"_Oh, didn't you know? In every incarnation of Clark Kent, you are his second choice," the creature chuckled as Lois felt the words hit home. _

Falling on the stairs, she barely felt the shock to her knees as the pain in her head turned sharp and piercing. Just managing to contain a cry, her last thought was, "Not now, not here" before the memory pulled her in.

_A scream escaped her lips as Lois fought against the Darkness. Having watched her until the first sliver of dark found a way past her barriers, the other Clark, the essence of the Darkness, drifted out the door confident that his shadows would now finish the job. They worked their way into her body, trying to take over, the entire process a violation, a desecration of self. Lois resisted with every fiber of her being but it wasn't long before she realized that resistance simply increased the pain._

_She screamed again until, after what seemed like an eternity, her senses started shutting down one by one. First her vision darkened. After that, her hearing was lost. Eventually, her sense of touch was all that was left. Still, she resisted. She would not be taken._

_Somehow, through the pain, she could feel soft soothing hands, cool hands that seemed to warm with every caress. She didn't remember when they started but focusing on them kept her mind off of the agony. Eventually, she leaned into the steady strokes, grasping the hand that was continuously rubbing soft circles in her palm. The pain eased just a little._

_Knowing she could move freed her until she searched for something of her own to touch. Finding a face close to hers, she explored the plains and valleys of it, memorizing with her fingers what she knew intimately with her eyes. When her fingers touched soft, cool lips, they moved against her hand, eliciting a sigh from her. _

_She could feel her body tilt as she was placed gently on the bed. The pain lessened and she could hear – the sound of the silk sheets, quick breaths mixed with her own. The caresses continued to soften the hurt and she opened her eyes, finding his face above hers, blurry but recognizable._

_His expression stole her breath. It was so … Clark. _

_Through it all his hands continued their soft caresses, each touch easing the pain. Her head cleared and she realized that somehow, in some way, he was saving her with his touch. She wanted - no, __**needed**__ - to do the same for him._

_So she kissed him with everything she had, sensing his surprise as she did. It didn't take long, however, before he was returning her kisses and setting her body on fire. Running her hands through his hair, she gloried in its silky softness and then let her hands roam lower, over his t-shirt and under it, gliding her fingers over the coolness of his skin. She could feel his skin warm with each touch, each caress, and each kiss._

_Gray eyes turned blue and the look in them was intense and filled with desire. His eyes held hers, while his hands continued to touch, roaming up and down her body, now replacing pain with pleasure. In an instant, being his second choice didn't matter. He was saving her and she was doing the same for him. She felt exhilarated and alive, realizing that she had the ability to free him from the Darkness._

_Her caresses became more determined and deliberate. His shirt was a barrier that was quickly removed. Somehow, when he pulled her against him, her shirt was gone as well. Just the feel of his skin on hers caused her to cry out in pleasure, all the Darkness inside her completely banished. _

_In Clark's eyes, however, she could see the pain that lingered. _

"_It's okay," she told him, stilling as his hand brushed against the scars on her neck. "It's okay," she said again as the passion in his eyes turned to fear and then to horror. "Clark, I promise, it'll be okay. You can start over; we can start over …"_

_He moved away from her, off the bed, and Lois could only imagine the terrors that were playing out in front of him as his now darkened eyes looked off into the distance. She scrambled forward, her jean-clad knees becoming twisted in the sheets and bringing his attention back to her. Staring at her with disbelief a lone tear ran down his face. Without any other warning he launched himself from the room, flying out the balcony doors with a primal cry._

Still on the stairs, still on her knees, Lois felt her body rocking as the tears streamed down her face. The fact that J'onn was the first one to find her made the memory seem even more real. No words were needed as she looked up at him through her lashes. When he sat down next to her, it was just as before.

"_Lois … you did what you needed to do."_

_Her tear-streaked face looked at him. "Then why does it feel like a failure?"_

"_You've gotten through to him when no one else could. That's not a failure, Lieutenant," J'onn nudged her with his shoulder at the use of his pet name for her. "And, with what we've learned maybe we can develop a plan ..."_

A shout from the area of the barn brought her out of it, and Lois jumped at the sound of her name. With J'onn's arm around her she turned to sit on the step next to him, keeping her eyes on his shirt and not the form of the man running in their direction, panic in his voice.

"Lois!"

Her peripheral vision could see him slow when he realized that she wasn't alone.

"She's all right Kal-El," J'onn told him, squeezing Lois' shoulders. "But she needs some help inside, I think."

"What?" Lois exclaimed, feeling a little betrayed by her friend. How could he suggest that when he knew …

"The future does not have to repeat itself," he said quietly in her ear before he moved away.

Her wide eyes followed him, ignoring his farewell remarks to Clark, as her mind replayed his words. How could history not repeat itself? Lois had given everything - her heart, her body and her mind - and it wasn't enough. It was never going to be enough. She hadn't saved Night the first time around and she wasn't doing much to save Clark in this time either. Maybe he didn't want to be saved, at least not by her. What more did J'onn think she could give?

Fighting the urge to curl up in a ball and simply shut out the world, Lois straightened instead, grabbing the stair rail and pulling herself slowly to her feet. This wasn't the future; she didn't need saving by Clark and the last thing she wanted was his pity. It was time to re-group.

Still a little shaky, knees wobbling, she turned to make her way up the stairs on her own, pausing on the second step to consider J'onn's words. What did he see that she was missing? Silently, she cursed her friend's enigmatic expressions, searching for the energy to get inside.

Her curses became more boisterous when she felt the world tilt. One second she was on the porch steps and the next she was in Clark's arms, holding onto them for balance. With one arm under her knees and the other behind her back, Clark pulled her against his chest and carried her into the kitchen without breaking stride. Lois found herself gazing at his clenched jaw …

_Gallant and stupid._

"Put me down," she hissed, looking over his shoulders for Lana, but the petite brunette and her car were gone. For a moment Lois wondered where but then pushed all thoughts of Lana from her mind, worried that her insecurities would trigger another future memory. She didn't need any more of those right now.

Clark ignored her, stopping in the middle of the kitchen where a flustered Kara met up with them, wet washcloth in her hand.

"Lois, Clark … everything all right?"

"I'm fine," Lois told her, fighting to get down. To her consternation, Clark only tightened his grip in response.

"Who's that for?" Clark asked, pointedly ignoring Lois.

"For Chloe," Kara replied, looking a little harried. "She woke up feeling quite ill, I'm afraid. Jimmy's with her upstairs. I told him they could have your room for the night, Lois. I hope that's okay."

"It's fine. I'll bunk with you," Lois told her, talking to Kara's retreating back as she hurried up the stairs.

Without releasing Lois, ignoring her struggles, Clark followed Kara up the stairs.

"What are you doing?" Lois asked through gritted teeth, trying to hang on to anger and block out the strong feelings his touch evoked. Her body was tingling in response, the recent memory only enhancing the effects. Each part of skin felt tender, overly sensitive, and she was aware of every finger along her ribs his hard arm cushioning her back. Even the undersides of her knees were tingling. It was all she could do not to rest her face against his chest and simply breathe him in. His scent - like sunshine and the outdoors - always affected her, even at the worst times.

Lost in her body's reactions, Lois was surprised when Clark glanced down at her and she noticed anger glittering in his eyes. "I'm taking you upstairs."

"I don't think so," Lois told him, her own anger surfacing at the look in his eyes. What did he have to be angry about? She was the one who was hurting emotionally and physically. Minutes ago he'd been worried about Lana. Where was his concern for Lois then? "We just had a party and I need to clean the kitchen. It's a mess."

"Oh, _we _hosted a party, huh?" Clark's words were quiet but determined as he lowered his nose until it almost touched hers. "I don't remember having a say." His eyes glanced quickly to her lips before he pulled away. "I'll clean up. You could barely stand a few minutes ago."

"I'm fine," Lois insisted, hating the breathless quality of her voice, as her eyes responded by staring at Clark's mouth, her heart beating at the concern under the anger. It was hard to maintain her frustration when he was being so, so ...

A grunt was his only response.

_Male. _

_Sometimes he was all male._

Lois almost smiled at the thought until they passed the bathroom door, where they could hear Chloe retching. Lois winced in sympathy instead, having been there just a few times. Clark didn't stop but continued until they reached her bedroom, finally putting her on her feet just outside the door. Lois tried to step away, put some distance between them, but stumbled. Clark gripped her arms to hold her steady. He was still too close for comfort but Lois didn't move, waiting for her legs to function properly. Her knees ached.

"Lois, what was that on the porch - another episode?"

"No, I just tripped, that's all," Lois lied, lowering her gaze, knowing he would force her to go to the hospital if he saw the truth. She focused on one boot-clad foot and concentrated on keeping her breathing even and her heart rate normal, knowing that if he used his super senses he could tell if she was lying.

"Lois-" he started but didn't finish. Peeking up through her lashes, she saw that distant look on his face, the one that told her he was hearing cries for help.

"Go," she told him, pushing him toward the stairs. "Take care of someone who really needs you."

After giving her one last look - a mixture of frustration, worry and anger - Clark super sped away, the air stirring Lois' hair and almost tripping her with its force. Rising up through her own hurt, anger and fear, a sense of pride filled Lois as she pictured the Blur in action. Was she focused on the wrong things? Clark was saving people - that was crucial. Who he loved and who loved him - not so much.

It was the sound of Chloe's retching that brought her back to reality. Lois sighed and grabbed some pajamas from her room before making her way to a strange bed. Her thoughts continued to churn while she got ready. What should she do? Should she wait for Clark? That could take forever. Should she give up? That wasn't in her nature.

Right now her knees were aching. Crawling into bed, Lois finally gave into her urge to curl up and shut out the world. She was too tired to clean up after all.

_**Kent farm, next morning**_

The scream that echoed through the farm house woke Lois from a dead sleep. Disoriented, heart racing, she scrambled to get out of bed, reaching for her knife, only to realize that it wasn't there.

It was a minute before she remembered that she was in the Kents' bedroom, having shared the room with Kara. By the time she heard the second, more agonized cry, Lois pulled herself together and was out the door and down the hall, skidding to a stop when she saw Kara escorting Jimmy from Clark's bedroom to the bathroom.

He was cradling his arm and it was covered in blood.

"Jimmy?"

His shocked freckled face looked up at hers before a pale and shaken Kara spoke.

"You should go in there, Lois, I think Chloe needs you."

Lois sprinted to the bedroom, heart pounding, only to find Clark sitting on the bed with a wide-eyed Chloe who was crying hysterically, her hands still clutching Lois' knife. Hands and knife were spattered with blood.

"Chloe?" Lois asked her voice raspy from sleep and shock.

Clark looked up from where he was whispering to Chloe, his arm around her shoulders, his eyes full of fear.

Lois walked slowly up to the bed and reached out to cover the knife with her own hands. Slowly, very slowly, she pulled it from Chloe's grip, watching her cousin closely. When it slid from her fingers, Chloe looked up and Lois winced at the anguish in her cousin's face.

"Chlo?"

"I didn't know," she muttered, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I didn't know."

"Didn't know what, baby?" Lois asked sitting down on the other side of Chloe.

This time, when green eyes met hazel, Lois saw something she'd missed the first time around.

"I didn't know who he was," Chloe said simply, and Lois felt a sharp pain in her chest as she recognized the emptiness behind Chloe's gaze.

For just a minute, she felt her breath hitch, but she fought down the panic, knowing that she had to keep it together for her cousin's sake. Chloe was clearly terrified.

"Is he really my fiancé?" Chloe asked, moving even closer to Clark for support, while eyeing the bloody knife in Lois' hands with revulsion.

"Yes, baby. That was Jimmy," Lois told her calmly, trying to keep her own composure.

"Lois, it's like … I've never … I've never seen him before in my life."

Lois caught Clark's gaze over Chloe's shoulder and she could see the questions and the concern there, mirroring her own.

"Lo, what else am I forgetting? God, what if I forget you and Clark? What's happening to me?"

"I don't know but we'll find out," Lois told her, trying to sound soothing, while she continued to watch Clark, the expression on his face telling her they were on the same page, at least as to this. Chloe needed their help.

_**Metropolis General, same day**_

In the waiting room, Lois sat hunched over, coffee in hand, legs bouncing. After a minute she stopped to take a sip out of the cup. Shuddering at the taste, she held the cup between her hands as her legs once again seemed to take on a life of their own.

She heard his footsteps before she felt his presence. Her legs stilled.

"Lois, how is she?" Clark voice was low and concerned.

"Tests," Lois struggled to find her own voice. "She's in her second round of tests." Her legs started up again as she continued to look down at her coffee. "They don't know what's wrong."

She felt Clark sit down next to her. In a second his warm hand was on her knee and her legs stopped bouncing. Her eyes closed as her heart rate slowed and she took a deep, steadying breath.

"Lo-"

She interrupted him, her calmer body still not ready for his sympathetic voice. It could break her like nothing else. "How's Jimmy?"

"He was released an hour ago," Clark told her quietly. "He's at the Talon sleeping off the pain pills. Kara's there. No tendons or muscles were damaged. He'll have full use of the arm in no time."

"Good," Lois commented, taking a shaky breath.

Very deliberately, Clark reached his hand around the coffee cup and removed it from her icy fingers. Her gaze followed the cup until she was looking at Clark's worried face.

She felt tears prick the backs of her eyes. "They don't know what's happening to her," Lois told him and watched as a resigned look crossed his face, followed by a slight wince.

She probably wasn't supposed to see it but she'd been around him too long to miss that look.

"You do know what's happening, don't you?" Lois asked realization dawning. She grabbed his arm and her mind leaped to the logical conclusion. "What is it, Clark."

He didn't respond and she saw the twinge of guilt in his expression. Fighting down the panic, she considered the options and it hit her. "No … it's that Brainiac thing isn't it?" She tried to shake him in frustration but it was like moving a rock, his face filled with regret. He turned away from her and she reached up to pull his face back. "Look at me," she ordered. "It doesn't matter how this happened … how do we get it out of her?"

Clark flinched but his gaze never left hers. "Lois, I'm not sure."

"But…" Lois urged.

"I think if I-"

"Mr. Kent … Clark," a familiar voice interrupted. "And Ms. Lane, it's nice to see that you're not the patient this time."

As the two faces turned to stare at him in surprise, Dr. Hamilton cleared his throat a little before looking down at his chart. "Right, well, we've run every test we can think of, but so far we haven't been able to find anything wrong with your cousin except that she's quickly losing her memories."

At Lois' death stare, he nervously pushed his glasses up on his nose. "Uhm, I was wondering if there's any history of mental illness; her records from Smallville indicate that she had some sort of break a couple of years-"

"So, if there's nothing medically wrong, does that mean she can go?" Clark asked, and Lois looked at him in surprise. It wasn't like Clark to interrupt. He was usually too polite. Dr. Hamilton gave him a speculative look.

"It's just that Chloe is a little sensitive about her family history," Lois added, surprised at the mulish look on Clark's face. She'd almost forgotten about how sensitive Clark could be about this issue. She remembered the incident a couple of years back. Chloe had been possessed by a ghost and Clark refused to accept the diagnosis of mental illness. In fact, he'd busted Chloe out of the hospital and kept her from being committed to Belle Reve. Even after she and Lois had been kidnapped, Clark had been there, taking care of them.

_He'd probably saved them, even then._

For some reason, at those memories, Lois felt a sense of hope. Clark would figure out a way to fix this and he wouldn't give up. Lois wasn't used to relying on someone else but knowing that Clark had saved them before, that he'd fought for Chloe until everything was resolved, it made her feel better. This time he'd even talked to her about the problem and not just brooded about it. Now they needed to figure out what to do, which meant they needed some privacy.

"So there is some history?" Dr. Hamilton shot a nervous look in Clark's direction.

"Well, you should probably ask Chloe about that," Lois told him, reaching for Clark's arm, anxious to get away to talk about solutions. "Can we see her?"

"Oh, what? Of course," the doctor told them, making some notes on his chart.

Lois pulled Clark along, ready to get started. Clark looked at her, a little surprised by her haste, but he kept up until they were stopped at the waiting room door by a distressed Oliver.

"What happened to Chloe?" Oliver asked, glaring at Clark.

"She's experiencing some memory loss," Clark told him, glaring back at Oliver while Lois was trying to move them around her former boyfriend so they could get to Chloe.

"Where are you going?" Oliver finally realized that they were trying to leave.

"Uhm, we have to run an errand," Lois lied, suspecting that Oliver would want to come with them if he knew they were visiting Chloe. "You're welcome to talk to her doctor. He's over there." Clark nodded toward Dr. Hamilton, eyes a little wide a Lois' lie.

"Emil?" Oliver asked, moving past Lois and Clark into the waiting area.

They both stopped when they heard Oliver call the doctor by his first name. Lois turned as the doctor's gaze seemed to focus from his charts to Oliver. "Oliver Queen?"

"You two know each other?" Lois asked.

"Uhm, yes, Dr. Hamilton works for Queen Industries, from time to time," Oliver told them raising his brows meaningfully.

Lois looked at Clark but he was as surprised as she was if his expression was any indication. Taking only a second to digest that information, Clark cleared his throat. "Well, then, he can fill you in," he said dragging Lois out into the hall.

"Clark," Lois practically shouted, trying to keep up with his long strides. He was finally moving like a man with a plan. "What are we doing?"

"_We're_ not doing anything," Clark told her firmly. "I think I know how to help Chloe, but I have to get her out of here first."

"Last door on the left," Lois told him, running a little to keep up. "And by the way, whatever it is you have planned, you're not leaving me out."

Clark stopped just outside Chloe's door and sent her a perturbed look that spoke volumes.

_It's too dangerous. _

Lois' didn't need to say the words as she faced Clark and squared her shoulders determinedly.

_I don't care._

In the end, it didn't matter. When they entered Chloe's room, she was gone.

_**Talon, late afternoon**_

Lois caught her breath when she felt the rush of air behind her. She jumped a little and turned.

"Clark, warn a - oh, Kara," Lois exclaimed. "You guys need to give people some warning before you do that."

"Sorry," Kara said twinkle in her eyes from super speeding fading quickly.

"No luck?" Lois asked her.

She shook her head, looking up the stairs. "Jimmy?"

"He's still sleeping," Lois told her. "I just came down here to, you know, stretch my legs." The Talon was closed, having limited hours on Sunday, and Lois was taking advantage of that fact. Truth was, she just couldn't sit with Jimmy again watching and wondering where her cousin was, even if it wasn't in a hospital this time.

Clark breezed in only minutes later after Kara had gone upstairs to check on Jimmy. By then, Lois was sitting at one of the tables chewing on her thumbnail. Lost in her own thoughts and fears, she didn't even jump when the breeze signaled Clark's arrival.

"Any luck?" Lois asked when Clark didn't say anything.

He simply shook his head, looking at her with a mixture of guilt and sympathy. Unable to hold his gaze, Lois jumped up ready to search for her cousin just as Clark's phone rang.

"Hello, Oliver," Clark said checking the ID. "No, no luck from this end … you? Okay, we'll let you know if we find anything." Clark put the phone back in his pocket, concern on his face.

"I know," Lois told him, putting her hand up as she walked around the table.

"Wait, Lois, where are you going?" Clark asked her, panic in his voice.

"Where do you think, Clark? I'm going to look for my cousin," Lois told him heading for the door.

Before she could reach it, Clark grabbed her arm. "Just a minute and I'll-"

Whatever Clark was going to say was interrupted by the opening of the coffee shop door. Both Lois and Clark watched as Chloe entered with Davis Bloome.

"Chloe!" Lois shouted, running at her cousin and throwing her arms around her, ignoring Davis for the time being.

It was only when Chloe didn't return the hug that Lois pulled back and looked at the paramedic and then back at her cousin. Green eyes stared back with no sign of recognition.

"What did you do to her?"

At Lois' loud voice, Chloe stepped closer to Davis, fear in her expression. "Davis, what are we doing here?"

"I told you, Chloe," Davis said calmly, his eyes begging Lois to calm down. "You know these people and they can help you."

"But I don't remember them," Chloe said in an agonized tone. "I only remember you. Can I just stay with you?"

Lois watched intrigued as Davis' expression reflected his internal struggle. He obviously wanted to be with Chloe, but when he looked at Lois and Clark, his expression said he knew that she needed more. "You need help, Chloe …"

Clark spoke up softly, "We can help you Chloe. We're your friends-"

"And family," Lois interrupted in her own softer tone, smiling at her cousin.

Chloe's return smile didn't reach her eyes. She turned back to Davis. "You're a paramedic. If anyone can help me, you can. Davis, please …" Chloe urged pulling on the front of Davis' jacket.

Dark eyes looked at Lois for a minute and he nodded, asking her to trust him. Looking at how desperate and afraid Chloe appeared, she met his gaze and nodded back, letting him know that she would.

"I tell you what, Chloe. I'll stay with you," Davis said, pulling Chloe to his chest. As Clark moved forward, Lois held out her hand to stop him. Reaching into his pocket with one hand, Davis pulled out a hypodermic with the other and shot Chloe in the arm.

"Wha …" she said and then she went limp against Davis' chest. Clark rushed forward to grab her as Lois looked at the paramedic.

"How did you find her?"

"She found me working outside the hospital," Davis told them. "She was pretty freaked out; said she didn't know why she was at the hospital and that she didn't recognize anyone. As soon as I could persuade her, I brought her here."

"What was in the needle?" Lois asked still a little suspicious.

"Just a sedative," Davis shrugged. "She was getting hysterical about even talking to anyone besides me. It'll wear off in a few hours. I hope you guys are going to take her back to the hospital," Davis said, his expression clearly concerned for Chloe. "Memory loss can be serious."

"Don't worry; we'll take care of her," Clark told him, still holding Chloe easily against his chest.

Lois nodded and caught the paramedic's eye. "Thanks," she told him sincerely.

Davis nodded and left as Lois watched his retreating form. She knew what he'd done in the past but today he'd saved her cousin. Watching him go through the doors, she felt a sudden sense of unease. What was she going to do about him? What could she do, really?

Still thinking about Davis, Lois was shocked when she felt the familiar rush of air that signaled Clark's departure with Chloe.

She turned to look around the shop anyway, knowing that they were gone but still stunned by the fact that Clark had simply taken her cousin and left. Furious, Lois resisted the urge to stomp her foot and instead headed toward the stairs, ready to force Kara to take her to wherever Clark and Chloe had gone. At the base, she was stopped when Clark suddenly appeared in front of her.

Still fuming she poked him in the chest, "Smallville, about time you came-"

With a muttered, "Sorry, Lois," she felt a pain in the back of her head and she was out.

_**Fortress of Solitude, that evening**_

Lois opened her eyes. She was in heaven or at least what she thought was heaven the first time around. Feeling an unusual sense of peace considering the circumstances, Lois lay still and let her eyes roam around taking in the beauty of the place.

A booming voice shook her out of her reverie.

"My son, there is a problem."

Looking for someone, anyone, she jumped when she heard Clark's voice respond in a near shout.

"What's the problem; what's wrong?"

"I can restore your friend's memories, leaving out your heritage," the voice emphasized, "but the other woman's mind has certain protections that I cannot breach without harming her." Lois couldn't resist looking for the source of the voice, at the same time she was wondering why this unfamiliar voice was referring to Clark as "my son_._"

"What do you mean?" Clark asked. "What protections?"

"These protections are not of my doing, Kal-El," the emotionless voice seemed to fill the space. "Just know that I cannot remove them without causing her irreparable harm."

There was a pause, and Lois used the time to finally process the words. The voice was telling Clark that it could restore Chloe's memories. She was obviously _the friend, _while Lois was the _other woman._ Lois winced at the sound of that. But what did the voice mean about leaving out Clark's heritage?

"My son, we must hurry if we are to finish before your friend wakes."

"Why is Lois' mind protected?" Clark asked as much to himself as to the voice.

The echoing voice answered anyway. "It appears that she has a destiny of her own."

"Destiny," Clark said, and she could hear the dread in his voice. "What destiny?"

"That I can't tell you, only Lois Lane can reveal it, should she choose to."

At the sound of her name, Lois sat up. How did this voice know her? All of this must be part of Clark's history. Clearly, he was using it to help with Chloe, but why was Lois here? She rubbed the back of her head which was still a little tender, and turned to find Clark. She needed to see him to understand. What was he doing?

Looking to her left, she finally spotted him, standing with his back to her, his typical red and blue ensemble dramatic against the clear white of his surroundings. Power and uncertainty shimmered in the air around him, a combination that was unique to Clark and somehow magnified in this environment.

This wasn't heaven. This place belonged to him, to his heritage. Lois could feel it.

When she realized she was sitting on a raised platform, she swung her legs over the side and waited for Clark to see her. Just out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Chloe on a similar platform a few feet away, her face looking pale in the white light.

"Can you at least give Chloe her memories back?" Clark asked, talking up and into the air around him. Lois studied the space but couldn't see anyone.

"Yes, I will begin when you are ready."

As Lois watched, Clark walked over to the platform where Chloe lay and gently kissed her forehead. With a trembling hand, he brushed her hair back and straightened. Determined, he stepped back and spoke. Whatever he was doing was distressing to him, Lois could see that. She could also see that he'd made up his mind.

"I'm ready."

Before anything could happen, before Clark even knew she was there, Lois jumped off the platform. Standing there, his earlier words penetrated her brain and she called out to stop him.

"Clark!"

When he turned and looked at her, Lois' legs almost buckled.

His eyes were dark and filled with torment. Somehow in this place the emotions Clark always hid so carefully were laid bare before her, the raw need in his expression taking her breath. His desire to be accepted was so strong and yet it constantly warred with his longing to care for others. He never wanted anyone to be hurt because of him, yet everyone he loved was at risk. It was a constant battle he waged, usually on the inside but now, in this place where he planned to wipe away his best friend's memories of his real identity, everything was at the forefront.

Clark believed he was making the unselfish choice but it was breaking him. Standing there in his great power and uncertainty, Lois thought that he had never looked more beautiful … or more wrong.

"Lois, what are you doing?"

"Trying to stop you from making a terrible mistake," she told him firmly.

"What mistake? I'm restoring Chloe's memories. I mean, this fortress is restoring Chloe's memories."

"All of them?" Lois asked, undeterred, taking a step forward.

"Lois-"

"Clark," she interrupted, taking another step forward.

Clark couldn't hold her gaze and his blue eyes looked down. "It's dangerous to know my secret, Lois. Look at what Brainiac did to her," he emphasized by pointing over to Chloe's pale form.

"I know what happened, Clark, but life is dangerous. Does that mean you'd take that as well?" Lois watched his shocked expression with sympathy. "People are who they are because of their memories and experiences. If you keep any from her, you'll be keeping part of Chloe," Lois took another step forward as Clark's eyes came back to hers, confusion and consideration in them. "You aren't God, Clark. You don't have the right to keep a part of Chloe away from her."

"My son is making a selfless decision," the booming voice responded when Clark remained silent.

"Yeah, well," Lois said speaking up as Clark had done. "Just because his motives are good doesn't make it right."

Lois lowered her eyes to Clark's.

"Chloe didn't ask to learn my secret, Lois," he told her, his expression letting her know that he was working things through in his own mind. "Alicia took Chloe - practically kidnapped her - and showed her what I can do."

"Still," Lois debated with him. "Your secret is part of who she is now, whether you like it or not. That knowledge has influenced her, molded her, and guided her decisions. Who are you to say she shouldn't know? Maybe in the grand scheme of things, she needs to know."

"Grand scheme of things … like a destiny," Clark mused, his gaze growing intense. "Do you believe in destiny?"

"Who am I to say one way or the other …" Lois emphasized with a shrug of her shoulders. "I do believe that things happen for a reason."

"Kal-El, we must proceed-"

"Just hang on, big guy," Lois interrupted, wanting Clark to work this through for himself.

At her response, Clark looked shocked and actually smiled but it didn't reach his eyes.

He was staring, seemingly looking right through her, before he shook his head. "What about you? Are you saying that you wouldn't give up some memories if you could?"

Lois' gaze slammed into Clark's and he flinched at her incredulous look. Her heart stopped as she understood why she was here.

Feeling a sudden, sharp pain like a dagger, Lois could only whisper, "Which ones, Clark?"

At his silence, she continued, her voice stronger, only hinting at the hurt. "Do you regret telling me already?"

His stunned expression was genuine. "No, no," he shook his head for emphasis. "I wanted … I was trying to erase the ones that were causing your pain. Post-Traumatic Stress is serious, Lois, whether you think so or not. It would be better for you, better for your health if those memories were gone." Clark's voice trailed at the end, uncertain in the face of Lois' previous objections. "I thought this place could help you too."

At his words and his sincerity, the pain eased and Lois took the time to consider Clark's position. She thought about the memories that were causing her attacks - memories of the Darkness, Night, and the horrible things she'd seen in the future. Her first inclination was to tell Clark that she didn't want to lose any of her memories, any of herself. Unfortunately, she knew that he was right about them endangering her. Of course, most of those memories had been foisted on her by her older self, but she'd been given that choice.

After a few minutes of reflection, Lois was able to respond sincerely. "There are some things I'd like to forget, sure, but all of my experiences make up who I am right now. If I didn't have them, I wouldn't be standing here, ready to do what needs to be done."

"What needs to be done … like a destiny?" At her wide eyes, Clark narrowed his. "Lois, what is your destiny?"

She'd been dreading this question from him since she'd heard the booming voice telling Clark that she had one. She knew he wouldn't let it go. Her mind wandered back to the kitchen two mornings ago, when she'd felt vulnerable and terrified after revealing her feelings for Clark, the intensity of them rocking her to the core. Reflecting now, she knew what she needed to say. Somehow, seeing Clark here, in his great power and loneliness, bolstered her courage. Like everyone else, Clark was the totality of his experiences and if Lois held herself back then neither of them would know what kind of man he could be with her in his life.

It didn't matter what he decided in the long run. It might crush her, might destroy her heart and her soul but ultimately that's why she was here.

_You must continue to support and challenge him …_

_No more holding back._

She needed to give him the truth. Looking back she knew she'd loved him for a long time - as a shy farm boy, as a mild-mannered reporter, as a hero with super-powers, and even as a shell of a man infected by the Darkness.

By protecting her heart, she wasn't just holding herself back, she was holding him back.

Keeping her eyes locked on his, she slowly closed the remaining distance between them and laid her hands softly on each side of Clark's face, watching his eyes widen in surprise. "My destiny," she told him, letting her feelings shine through the depths of her hazel eyes. "My destiny is to love you."

Doubt, shock, awe, and, finally, raw need swirled in the blue of Clark's eyes, each expression magnified in this place until Lois felt drawn to him by the sheer force of his desires.

Her hands seemed to work of their own accord to pull his face toward hers.

"Lois," he breathed, as if her name was the answer to a prayer, and he bridged the remaining distance.

When his lips met hers, Lois surrendered completely, overwhelmed by the power and loneliness that Clark poured into this one kiss.

_**Fortress of Solitude, twenty minutes later**_

Shivering in her light-blue shirt, she waited for Clark to retrieve her as soon as he dropped off Chloe at the Talon.

Lois smiled to herself at the success of the procedure. Chloe was otherwise healthy and had all of her memories intact. Ultimately, Clark decided not to hold anything back when restoring them.

Releasing a shaky breath, she inhaled deeply, feeling the expansion of her chest in the process. For the first time in years, she felt like she could breathe, really breathe. She'd revealed her true feelings to Clark, directly and honestly - no more holding back, no more running - and she felt liberated.

Not everything was resolved, she knew that, but for the first time in months while surrounded by Clark's crystal palace, Lois let herself hope for the future.

Walking around, she stopped to stomp her feet, rub her arms and wait. It seemed like Clark had been gone a long time. The very air was suddenly dark and cold. It was quiet, too quiet.

She passed Chloe's platform and stopped, noting how it looked considerably darker than it had when Chloe was on it. Lois wondered how late it was. She'd lost all track of time in the Fortress.

Tired, she leaned against the platform for just a second before Clark raced in. Happy to see him, she straightened, only to see his face grow concerned as he looked around.

"Lois, what happened here?"

His voice sounded like it was coming from a distance.

"Lois, what's wrong?"

"Lois!"

Her vision dimmed around the edges as Clark reached for her.


	12. Chapter 11 Bride Belated

_He had discovered a great law of human action - namely, that in order to make a man covet a thing, it is only necessary to make the thing difficult to obtain. _

Tom Sawyer, by Mark Twain.

**CHAPTER ELEVEN – BRIDE BELATED**

_**Daily Planet, Monday, November 24, 2008**_

"So, is that all?" asked Davis, handing Lois her overnight bag.

"Yeah, uhm … thanks. I appreciate the ride and everything," Lois told him waving her hand to make her point. She wasn't sure why she let Davis drive her, but it felt great to be back to work and out of the hospital. Some fluids and warming blankets had taken care of her mild case of hypothermia in rapid time.

"So … wow, this is where you work, huh?" Davis asked in his low voice, taking note of the noise and bustle of the place with some trepidation.

"Yeah, welcome to the Bullpen," Lois told him looking around with affection … and a little surprise. Right now was pretty quiet, given that it was lunch time.

"The Bullpen?" Davis repeated with a small smile on his face. After a minute he lowered his head uncomfortably and continued while looking at her through his lashes, "You certainly are crammed in here like cattle … I'm not sure I could work this closely with so many other people."

Lois caught his dark eyes and, for the second time since he stopped by her hospital room earlier, noted the loneliness that seemed to surround him. The first time had been in the hospital when he'd seen her name and stopped by to check on her and Chloe. He'd seemed comfortable there but isolated. The isolation practicallyshimmered in the air around him, just like Clark.

At the thought of Clark, she looked over at his desk speculatively. He wasn't there, not that she expected him to be. He was supposed to pick her up from the hospital but failed to show. Her best guess was that he was on Blur business, although he could be avoiding her. She hoped not, but he'd been blowing hot and cold at the hospital, starting out with the hot. She shivered a little at the memory.

_When Lois woke up in the hospital, Clark was standing by the window with his hands in his pockets, staring out into the dark. For a minute, she wondered what he was looking at and then it hit her – he was brooding._

_Lois sat up in the bed and cleared her throat. "Hey," she said, wincing at the croaking sound. _

_Clark turned around, his face inscrutable in the dim hospital light. "How are you feeling?" _

_She stretched and closed her eyes, taking stock of her condition. She was surprised and pleased with the results. "Good," she marveled. "I feel … good."_

_Opening her eyes, ready to smile in relief, her smile froze when she saw his expression. Through the poor lighting she could see his wide eyes shimmer as his lips parted. He stepped forward and the heat behind his baby blues took her breath._

_**You make me feel … good**._

_Her body started tingling and she could feel her temperature rise. Suddenly needing air, she sucked in a breath and damped her lips. The blue in Clark's eyes turned dark and stormy right before they focused on her mouth. _

_Another step forward and Clark was within reach. Lois felt her body respond by leaning toward him, her hand itching to reach out and touch- _

Davis cleared his throat and Lois jumped, trying to bring her attention back to her surroundings.

"Well, I don't want to get in your way so … if there's nothing else," Davis told her, starting to back away.

Lois was torn. At first, she'd been convinced that Davis was evil, having killed a decent, honest kid like Jimmy. Now, _something_ was telling her different. He seemed like regular guy, better than regular, actually. After all, he'd brought Chloe back to them, and Lois would be eternally grateful for that.

It was possible Lois didn't know the whole story. She hadn't been there when Jimmy was killed and, to this day, she didn't really know a lot about his death. Chloe went into hiding afterwards and the newspaper article was sketchy at best. What if there were extenuating circumstances?

No matter what, Lois wanted to protect Chloe and Jimmy. At first, ignoring Davis seemed to be the answer. Watching him now - so shy and unsure - Lois wasn't convinced. After saving Chloe, Davis seemed part of their circle somehow, and so when he'd stopped by her hospital room, asked about Chloe and offered her a ride, she'd been willing to go. What if taking the time to know him and let him know them was the way to avoid tragedy in the future?

Making up her mind, deciding to take the chance, Lois stepped forward. "Hey, how about an ambulance ride sometime? I bet you see things on your rounds that would make for a great story."

Davis' body tensed and he stopped. "I don't know, Lois," he told her looking down at the floor. "That didn't work out too well for Jimmy."

The guilt was radiating off of him in waves, and Lois was fascinated by this additional reminder of Clark. No wonder Chloe felt comfortable with Davis; he had a lot in common with her best friend. In fact Lois felt herself being drawn to him. What was it about tall, dark and lonely?

She couldn't resist smiling at the thought, stepping closer until his eyes rose to meet hers. "Hey, I'm tougher than Olsen," she smirked, holding onto his gaze.

Tilting his head forward, Davis looked uncertain but finally returned her smile. "It's a date then," he said, just as Lois heard Clark's cough at her elbow.

"Lois," Clark interrupted, clearing his throat again as his eyes darted between Lois and paramedic. "Davis," he remarked, holding out his hand. Davis shook it, and Clark's eyes narrowed slightly before he turned to Lois.

"I'm sorry," Clark told her apologetically, his eyes softening as they rested on her. "I got caught up with a … source. I, uh, it was an emergency," he continued, raising his brows to let her know it was Blur business.

"That's okay, Clark; emergencies happen," she told him with a little smile and a knowing look. Clark looked pained as she continued. "Besides, Davis was gracious enough to give me a ride." Lois turned to the paramedic. "Hey, I'll call you later, okay?"

"Sure," Davis said, smiling back at her and then turning to Clark. "Clark," he nodded before walking away.

Clark watched, his questioning gaze following Davis. His jaw clenched. "How did you hook up with him?"

"Well, I didn't 'hook up' with him," Lois told him using air quotes and rolling her eyes. "He stopped by my room to see how I was doing and offered me a ride." She turned away to go through the papers on her desk. "He does work at the hospital, you know."

"Yeah, I know." Clark's voice was low and ominous.

Lois gave him a surprised look and his face reddened slightly, his chin jutting outward as he tried to hide his discomfort. "He said something about a date?"

Lois kept her smile to herself. "We were just talking about an ambulance ride."

Clark's eyes narrowed. "That didn't turn out too well for Jimmy," he said. This time Lois couldn't hide her smile.

"That's what Davis said," she told Clark, unable to resist moving closer so she could pat at Clark's chest. "But I reminded him that I'm tougher than Olsen," she grinned.

"I don't know," Clark told her, taking his own step closer. "Maybe I should go with you." His voice was lower in octave, sending tremors through Lois and she watched his eyes flash. What was this? Earlier this morning he wouldn't touch her but now he was invading her personal space. His expression now was so like the one at the hospital …

_His eyes wide and stormy, Clark reached out his hand to Lois but dropped it. Jerkily he turned away and went to stand back at the window. Lois felt like a bucket of cold water had been poured on her._

"_Lois, the Fortress is corrupted," Clark told her, his eyes moving away from hers, fixing on a point above her head. "Kara thinks that something got into the crystals … either through Chloe or …" his eyes glanced back at hers and she could see the question._

"_Or me," she breathed in understanding. Furrowing her brow as she concentrated, she tried to remember what happened right before things went dark. "I don't think it was me," Lois told him sincerely. "I do have certain … memories that are protected but nothing that could infect that fortress of ice." _

"_Lois … who was it who told you about your …uhm, destiny?" Clark asked hesitantly._

_Lois felt her heart stutter. Crap, she hadn't really thought this through. She hated explaining herself and now ... she didn't want to lie to Clark but she couldn't give him the truth, either. She needed to stall-_

Just then, Clark stepped away and Lois's hand dropped from his chest to her side. Again, he'd shut off whatever he'd been feeling before. Now he was frowning in Davis' direction. What was up with him today? Finally, Lois decided he was in a bad mood because he'd been late and was feeling guilty. No one, not even Davis, could do guilt better than Clark.

"Hey," Lois told him. "It's okay. I can take care of myself … and even you can't be everywhere at once," Lois told him quietly, turning back to her desk to check her messages. By the time she sat down, Clark had moved around to his desk and he was staring at her.

"You shouldn't have to rely on someone else, Lois," Clark told her seriously.

Lois leaned forward, astonished and amused. "You are not my personal slave, Smallville, as much as I might want you to be," Lois smiled and wiggled her eyebrows, watching in delight as Clark's face reddened. She lowered her voice and turned serious, "I know you have other obligations."

At Clark's conflicted expression, Lois raised her brows in question. Clark remained considering as Lois watched him. She hoped he wasn't planning on asking any more questions about her destiny. They'd talked enough about that at the hospital.

_Lois sighed, looking closely at Clark. He was curious but concerned, too. If she couldn't answer his questions maybe she could ease his concerns. "Look, Clark, it's not a Kryptonian thing, okay?" She continued, watching as Clark pressed his lips together. "This is nothing you need to worry about."_

_His look was both frustrated and skeptical._

_Lois continued before he could interrupt. "It doesn't matter who told me because in the end, I accepted." She stumbled at little as her next words caught in her throat. "But that, that doesn't mean that you have to … accept it, I mean." _

_Having finished that declaration she couldn't hold Clark's surprised look and lowered her eyes to her heavy blanket, discovering that her hands nervously picking at it. With a renewed sense of determination - knowing that this is what he needed to hear - she released her grip and smoothed out the thick material._

"_Everyone should have options," she muttered, handing his words back to him._

_It was a minute before she heard him clear his throat. "That's … that's not what I asked," he told her, stuttering a little in surprise. _

_Lois raised her eyes quickly, narrowing them in disbelief._

"_Okay, I mean … you're right, everyone should have options and I … I don't want you forced into anything," he sighed at her annoyed expression and ran his hands through his hair. "Ever since I discovered my origins, my birth father has pushed me toward the destiny he envisioned, imposing some stiff penalties when I refused to go along," Clark lowered his gaze and his hands, stepping back and stuffing his hands into his pockets. "I know what it's like to feel like you don't have a choice and to fight, only to have your freedom taken from you." Through his lashes, his eyes managed to convey his fear. _

"_That's not what happened to me, Smallville," she told him, tilting her head sideways as she thought about his words. Was this one of the things that pushed Clark to the dark side - rejecting his destiny? If so, he needed to work on that._

"_Look, I'm not going to repeat myself …" Lois told him, knowing that she wasn't about to make some loving declaration in the hospital. "But I didn't say what I said to start a 'brood fest' or to guilt you in any way." Lois glanced up out of the corner of her eye to see Clark's eyes narrowed as he processed her words. He was clearly frustrated that she wasn't answering his question directly. "You have options, Clark, all the same ones that were available before …" _

"_Lois-"_

_Not to be deterred now that she'd started, Lois plowed forward even when some of the words stuck in her throat. "Say the word, Smallville, and we'll forget all about what I told you at the Fortress … go back to being friends … you know, keeping the game on the field."_

_Clark stared at her dumbly. Eventually, Lois looked back down at her blanket, her fingers unable to stay still. What did he want from her? It was different at the Fortress, where his isolation called to her, almost pulling the words from her-_

"_Why?"_

"_Why, what?" Lois asked, confused by his one-word question._

_His face was calm but Lois could see the tension in Clark's body, "Why me?"_

_Lois looked at him in amazement. "Are you serious or are you just fishing for compliments?"_

"_Yes … no … I mean I'm trying to understand," Clark explained, stepping closer as his wide eyes conveyed his confusion._

_All Lois could do in response was roll her eyes – would the man never understand his worth?_

_After giving her his most frustrated look, Clark changed tactics. "Okay …why you, then?" _

_Lois didn't hesitate, smiling when she looked directly into Clark's eyes, "Because you need me, Smallville."_

With that one statement, Lois had put an end to Clark's questions. She'd thrown him for a loop, so much so, that he'd taken off as soon as the nurse appeared on her rounds.

Coming back to the now, Lois thought he still looked a little off, sitting in his chair staring into the distance.

"Planning on doing some work today, Clark?" Lois asked, watching as Clark jumped guiltily in his seat.

He raised his brows and pressed his lips together in response.

Lois chuckled and felt her chest tighten. Without warning, before she could look away, she was hit with a powerful burst of resentment … all of it directed at Clark. With everything she'd told him, he hadn't bothered to tell her what he was feeling. Why did he always have to overanalyze everything? Couldn't he just respond? He hadn't even come back for her at the hospital. What a jerk-

Shocked, Lois looked down before Clark could see the wrath in her eyes and sucked in a breath through gritted teeth. As quickly at the feelings hit, the anger was gone and Lois felt immediate relief.

_What the …_

She glanced back at Clark but he was still in a world of his own. She watched him for a minute but the feelings of resentment and anger didn't return. Shaking her head at her own scattered emotions, she turned back to try and concentrate on her work.

For the rest of the day, Lois continued to find her eyes drawn to Clark who, in turn, seemed to be doing a lot of staring off into space. She wondered which of her confessions was freaking him out more, telling him that loving him was "her destiny" or telling him that he "needed her." Either way, his lack of response was bothering her. Instinctively she understood that he had doubts about her real feelings and that _impulsive_ was not a word in his vocabulary. Still, _patience _was not a word in hers.

Part of her wanted to haul him out of his chair and take him to the copy room for a little convincing, but another part of her understood that he needed to work things out for himself.

Finally, Lois convinced herself to curb her otherwise impatient nature. At least Clark was thinking about what she'd told him. There was something satisfying about that. She'd just have to trust that he'd let her know when he figured things out.

_**Kent farm, Tuesday, November 25, 2008**_

Lois was working at the counter in the kitchen while Mrs. Kent moved around the warm, well-lit room preparing for the holiday. Thanksgiving was still more than a full day away but there were pies to bake, side dishes to prepare, and the good, holiday cups and plates to clean. Mrs. Kent was not a woman to let those things wait if she could get them done.

The smell of apple pie was making Lois' mouth water and she squirmed on the stool, trying to focus on her school work. When the oven door opened, Lois gave up and pushed her computer aside, thoughts of pie killing her concentration.

Looking at the time – twenty minutes to cool – Lois was surprised by the hour. "Where's Kara?"

"I think she went to check on the Fortress."

"Oh, I thought Clark didn't want her up there in case it was that Brainiac thing that corrupted it," Lois commented absentmindedly, taking in a whiff of the pie as Clark's mom sat it on the table to cool.

Mrs. Kent smiled at Lois' non-too-subtle interest in the pastry. "She told me she might have an idea about how to extract the corruption and she wanted to check it out before she told Clark about it." Mrs. Kent wiped her hands on her apron and checked the time. "Now that you mention it, she has been gone for a while."

"So has Clark," Lois commented, checking the clock again. Clark had blurred out of the Planet almost four hours ago. What disaster could be taking this long? "Maybe I should give him a call."

"I'm sure he's all right, Lois," the older woman told her and there was a knowing glint in her comforting gaze.

Lois shrugged, uncomfortable with that look. "Well, a hero's work is never done," she quipped, unable to keep her brow from furrowing. Four hours was a long time. A little uncertain, Lois looked up and caught the woman's look. "You probably never expected to have this kind of conversation with me, huh?"

Mrs. Kent smiled and laid a hand on Lois' arm. "Actually, I'm not surprised at all and … it's nice to have someone else to share my concerns with."

Lois looked at her in earnest. "I'll never tell anyone," she vowed.

"I know, Lois," Clark's mother said, squeezing Lois' arm. "I'm not worried about that-"

Just then, Lois' phone rang and she looked at Mrs. Kent in relief, assuming it was Clark. Her relief was short lived, however. It was Chloe on the phone.

"It's the blushing bride," Lois told Mrs. Kent with a grin. "She probably wants to talk to me about the bridal shower … again. I swear if she changes the color scheme one more time-"

"Hello," Lois said with eyebrows raised to Mrs. Kent, watching as the older woman ruefully shook her head and walked back to the stove.

"Lo, I need you." Chloe's tearful whisper on the phone was barely audible.

Lois felt her body tense, as she left the stool to walk to the living room. "What's the matter; what is it?"

A soft sob followed her question before Chloe responded, "It's Jimmy … uhm, he's gone."

"Gone?" Lois questioned, lowering her voice when she caught Mrs. Kent turn to her in surprise. "Gone where?"

"Well, we had an argument and he said he wanted to go home for the holidays … said he needed a little time to, you know, clear his head and get things in perspective."

"What things?" Lois was starting to focus get angry, her heart reacting to her cousin's pain.

"Well, he's been a little freaked out that I, uh, stabbed him," Chloe hiccupped.

"Chloe, you thought there was a stranger in your bed, touching you … I would have done the same thing," Lois told her, lowering her voice to a whisper.

"Yeah, he's struggling with the fact that I didn't recognize him. I … I think the weirdness … the unusual things that happen to me … they're starting to freak him out."

"Oh, honey, you don't know that," Lois told her sincerely, silently cursing Jimmy three ways to Sunday. How could he abandon Chloe over the holidays?

"Could you come and stay with me while he's gone?" Chloe asked, and Lois could hear her take a deep breath. "I just …I don't want to be alone right now."

Lois didn't hesitate. "Of course, I'll be over tonight."

After giving Mrs. Kent a condensed version of events, telling her simply that Jimmy had decided to spend the holidays with family, Lois packed up her school work and went upstairs to put some clothes together. Already concerned about Chloe, she breathed a sigh of relief when she left her room and heard Clark's voice downstairs. At least he was okay.

Trying to juggle her luggage – she'd packed for a full week - she stilled when she heard how tired and worried Clark's voice sounded.

"There were two explosions on the docks," he was telling his mother. "I think they were deliberate."

"Deliberate?" Mrs. Kent commented, and Lois could tell that she was still moving around in the kitchen.

"Yes, I almost called for Kara's help but someone else showed up."

At the tone of Clark's voice - caution mixed with a little shock - Lois's carefully put down her luggage. Something more was going on and she wanted to know what it was.

"Someone else … who?" Mrs. Kent asked. "Was it Oliver?"

Even though she was alone, Lois shook her head. Oliver was out of town. It couldn't have been him. When Clark didn't respond right away, something in Lois' gut told her she shouldn't listen, that she wouldn't like the answer but just like the other night in the barn, she couldn't seem to help herself.

"Clark, are you all right? You look a little pale, honey." Mrs. Kent's voice was growing concerned, and Lois leaned back, resting her shoulders against the wall.

"It wasn't Oliver, Mom. It was Lana. She did something to herself … and now she has powers," Clark told his mother in a stunned voice.

Lois felt sick and the urge to leave grew stronger. She really didn't want to hear this and yet she felt frozen, wondering if she was going to be sick as she tried to process Clark's words …powers. What did that mean?

"Powers?" Evidently Mrs. Kent was asking herself the same questions. "What powers?"

"Like mine … or sort of like mine … speed and strength, at least." The words were tumbling over each other as Clark tried to explain, and Lois could practically see his agitated expression.

"How did that happen?"

"Evidently, Lex developed some type of super suit, like a second skin," Clark told her. "Lana had it grafted on over the weekend."

"And is this permanent?" Lois was amazed at the cool of Clark's mom. Lois wasn't even part of the conversation and she was starting to freak out, feeling the bile rise to her throat. Who puts on a skin suit? What the …

"I think so," Clark said uncertainly. "Mom, she told me that she did this for me - for us - so we could get back together, be a couple again."

At those words, Lois' heart stopped altogether. Her legs grew weak and her body slid down the wall, until she was sitting on the hard floor, trying to remember to breathe.

"How do you feel about that?"

"I don't know. What if this is permanent?" Clark told her hesitantly. "That's a lot to sacrifice to be with me." Clark's voice was fading a bit and Lois could tell that he was pacing. "She says we can work together … help people together. That's why she did it."

Upstairs, Lois put her head down as her breathing grew heavier. She was feeling hot and cold and sick to her stomach. The fact that she wasn't as surprised as she should be didn't make it any easier.

"Honey, did Lana talk to you or consult with you at all before she did this to herself?"

"No," Clark responded hesitantly.

"Then this was her choice and you're not bound by it. You need to think about how _you_ feel," Clark's mom told him firmly. "If you let guilt influence you, well … I'm afraid you'll make a mistake."

"You sound like Lois" Clark told her, sounding a little disturbed by that fact.

"Yeah, about that … Clark, what about Lois?"

"What do you mean?" Clark's voice sounded defensive and Lois wondered what Clark had told his mom, if anything, about them.

"You told me that you two have been getting closer, that she expressed certain … feelings for you. What are you going to do about that?"

"I don't know," Clark's voice was frustrated and a little frightened. "What Lois told me at the Fortress, Mom. I didn't … I can't believe it … and yet I know I've felt closer to her than anyone else this year." Clark paused and Lois could hear his sigh up the stairs. "What I have with her … what I feel … it's so different."

"Different, how?"

"I can't explain it. Most the time we're still friends but …" Clark's voice faded away and Lois felt her own face heat as she considered what he might be thinking.

_We're friends … and partners … and this._

"Clark, it sounds like you have two women who want a relationship with you. Have you considered that one way or the other, you'll have to choose?"

"What do you mean?" Clark sounded slightly panicked at the thought and, even as sick as she was feeling Lois couldn't resist rolling her eyes at Clark's naiveté.

Clark's mother was evidently feeling the same way because her tone was exasperated. "Clark, both of these women have expressed a desire to be more than friends with you. You have to tell them how you feel."

There was silence and then Clark's desperate question. "Mom, what am I going to do?"

"This is your decision, honey," his mother told him sympathetically. "Just … just make sure you search your feelings carefully before you decide anything … but don't wait too long or you may lose them both."

"No … no, not Lois," Clark muttered. "She told me … she promised."

"Promised?"

"Never mind," Clark's voice was low with embarrassment, and Lois felt her heart fall to her stomach. By striving to give Clark options, knowing that he hated the idea of destiny, she had handed him the perfect out.

_Say the word, Smallville, and we'll forget all about what I told you …_

At the memory of those words, Lois felt a pain so sharp that she wanted to curl up in a ball on the floor. Instead she leaned her head back against the wall and fought for breath, focusing on controlling the stabbing near the area of her heart.

_You are his second choice …_

Looking at her luggage, Lois decided that leaving the farm would be easier than she first thought. She didn't want to be around when Clark made his preference known.

She already knew what his decision would be.

_**Wednesday, November 26, 2008**_

The ice cream was gone, the popcorn was cold and most of the chic flicks devoured. Lois sat on the couch in her pajamas listening to another story about Clark and wondering how she was going to survive the next few months like this.

Just hearing his name was torture. No wonder she'd stayed in Star City three years ago. Of course, that option was no longer available.

_You can never leave him._

" … so then as we're crawling through the air ducts, Clark's complaining the entire time and I said, 'I didn't know that super whining was one of your powers,'" Chloe laughed.

"Sounds like something I'd say," Lois could resist adding even through the tightening in her chest.

"And with all of that he ended up saving the day even without powers," Chloe told her, giving Lois a knowing look.

Wondering if she was a closet masochist, Lois had to ask, "How did Clark feel about his lack of abilities?"

"Well, he seemed to be on cloud nine at the time because he was with …" Chloe quickly changed direction. "I mean, he always wanted to be 'normal.'"

Lois looked at her cousin from beneath her lashes. "You can say her name, you know," she said with a small smile, grabbing a cold piece of popcorn from the bowl. "I take it you know about the 'suit'?"

Chloe sighed. "I just don't get it. Why would she think that all she needed to do was put on a super suit?" Chloe looked at her cousin and Lois could see that she was truly baffled. "We all see that Clark has a greater destiny in this world, but all he's ever wanted was to be like everyone else-"

"No," Lois interrupted, swallowing the bite while staring into her almost-empty bowl. "All Clark has ever wanted was to be accepted … and loved." When Chloe didn't respond, Lois looked up to find her cousin staring at her slack-jawed.

"What?"

"Living with Clark has definitely given you some insight," Chloe said, her eyes wide and considering.

"Actually, Chloe, anyone who know Clark knows that," Lois told her, a little irritated at Chloe's strong reaction, but Chloe was shaking her head before Lois finished.

"No, I don't think that's true-"

And before Chloe could finish, Lois was jolted by a sense of fury so strong that it propelled her out of her seat. "Well, it doesn't matter, does it?" Lois found herself shouting at her cousin. "We all know what's going to happen!" Lois waved her arms in Chloe's direction. "He's loved her since he was a kid. Now she's got powers like his; of course he's going to get back together with her …"

Then, as suddenly as it appeared, the rage ended. Lois was left standing with her chest heaving, her body shaking, while she frowned at Chloe's wide-eyed expression.

_What the …_

Running her hands through her hair, Lois turned away, taking deep breaths and trying to recover from … whatever that was. After a few minutes her breathing slowed and Lois exhaled deeply.

"Chloe, I'm sor-"

"Lo-" Chloe said at the same time.

Both were interrupted by a knock at the door. Looking reluctant, clearing wanting to finish up with Lois, Chloe walked across the room to answer.

"Davis," she exclaimed, tightening the belt on her bath robe. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry, Chloe," he said quietly. "I stopped by the Isis Foundation today and when you weren't there, I got worried." Davis held up his phone. "I tried calling but your phone was turned off."

"Yeah," Chloe admitted sheepishly. "Lois and I were having a girl's day and I guess I forgot to turn it on." With that, Davis turned to look at Lois and as his gaze lowered to her feet, noticed her bunny slippers and smiled.

"Well, I'm glad you're okay," he said, looking embarrassed. "Given what happened on Sunday … well, I just wanted to check."

"Fully functional," Chloe said, tapping at her temple. "My memory is good enough that I know enough to say 'thank you,'" Chloe told him with a smile.

"It was the least I could do," Davis told her, his eyes filled with something Lois couldn't identify. She moved closer.

"Would you like some coffee?"

Taking another look at Lois' bunny slippers, he responded with another smile, "I, uhm, don't want to interrupt anything."

"Nonsense," Lois told him, limply waving her hand. "We were just having a good old-fashioned girl's day; at this point we probably need some testosterone in the room."

Davis chuckled and Lois smiled a little in return, grateful for Davis's appearance. "I'll make the coffee, Chlo," Lois told her, seeing the promise in Chloe's eyes … they _would_ talk about what happened later. Lois sighed. Clearly, she'd flown off the handle but she didn't know why and didn't want to talk about it. Maybe she could work on an excuse while Davis distracted Chloe.

To Lois' surprise, she enjoyed Davis' company as much as Chloe did. During the next half hour, they talked and laughed and Lois was struck even more by the characteristics that Davis shared with Clark. He was a bit shy, calm and caring and, given the nature of his job, definitely had a strong desire to help people.

It was at the end of the visit that Lois made plans for her ride-a-long. She and Davis were standing at the door ironing out the details for this Friday night when there was a knock.

Without bothering to look, Lois reached out and opened the door, surprised to see Clark on the other side. Her stomach dropped at the same time her heart sped up. Why was he here? He should be out saving the world with Lana.

For a minute, she could only stare. Then Davis cleared his throat.

"Davis, right," she told him, trying to remember what they'd been talking about. "I'll see you Friday night," Lois finished with a smile, turning to frown at Clark until he moved to let Davis pass. Giving him just enough room, Clark puffed his chest out and brushed shoulders with Davis on the landing.

Lois felt a sliver of irritation and let it show with a look.

_R e a l l y?_

Clark ignored her expression, deliberately examining her wardrobe instead. "Lois, what are you doing here … and in your pajamas?"

Lois' eyes widened and she glanced behind her to see Chloe's sympathetic expression over her coffee cup. Pressing her lips together in frustration, she blocked the door as she responded.

"Didn't your Mom tell you?" Lois whispered, leaning forward a little and keeping her voice low. "Jimmy left Chloe alone for the holidays. She's having a rough time and so I agreed to stay with her."

Clark leaned forward himself, his expression a little desperate. "Why didn't **you** tell me? Is that why you weren't at work today?" His gaze drifted over Lois' head to the apartment. Seeing Chloe he lowered his voice. "I was worried about you."

Lois felt her heart skip a beat at his words. Taking a breath, she worked to keep her emotions under control. "I'm fine, Clark. It's Chloe who's upset that her fiancé is gone," Lois told him, reverting to sarcasm when her emotions started to scramble. "You know, rather than storm here and upset everyone, you could have just called … you have a phone, right?"

Clark squirmed uncomfortably. "It was busy today-"

"Blur busy?"

The guilt in his expression gave her the answer. Lois understood it but she wasn't about to tell Clark that she'd eavesdropped on his conversation last night.

"I'm glad you were able to help some people before the holiday," she choked out, her throat starting closing up with the effort to keep herself calm and in control. "Look, Clark, Chloe needs me right now, and I can't talk to you-"

Eyes flashed as Clark stepped forward, his large body overwhelming Lois and practically pushing her into the living room. She took a step back in surprise. "Oh, but you can talk to Davis, is that it?"

"What is your problem?" Feeling her anger slip free, Lois took her own step forward, forcing Clark to take a step back.

"Problem … what are you talking about?" After stuttering, he choked out a question. "Did you just make a date with Davis?"

"Davis?" Lois asked, fighting against the onslaught on rage even as part of her realized she'd forgotten all about the paramedic.

"You heard me," Clark said through gritted teeth.

"What if I did?"

Clark's look was incredulous. "What … but Lois, you said … you told me-"

"Yeah, Clark … I said, I told … but what did you - oh, that's right. You've said nothing. I'm a big girl," Lois could feel her rage getting out of control but couldn't seem to keep her voice from getting louder. "You don't need to spell it out for me. I. KNOW. WHEN. I'M. NOT. WANTED."

Clark jerked back as if he'd been slapped, his expression incredulous.

For a minute, Lois simply stood there her chest heaving with each breath. Inexplicably, at the look on Clark's face, her anger drained away. Trembling, cursing her own lack of control at the same time she wondered what was happening to her, she reached out and closed the door in Clark's face.

For a full minute, Lois contemplated the door like it could give her the answers she needed. It was the sound of water in the kitchen that brought her back to reality. She turned and saw Chloe leaning against the sink with a contemplative look on her face.

"Clark sounded upset," her cousin said softly.

Lois snorted.

Chloe gave her a small smile. "Okay, you sounded upset-"

"I'll get over it."

"Lo-"

"I'll get over it," Lois repeated, heading back to the bedroom to try to get control of her emotions … and figure out what the … what was happening to her.

_**Thanksgiving Day, 2008**_

Lois let her feet carry her as quickly as they could from the yellow farmhouse. Dinner was over and, miraculously, Lois had managed to control her temper, after periodic bursts of fury had ruined her morning. Unexpectedly, at the mention of Clark, she'd lost her temper with Chloe, her outburst causing Chloe to turn pale. Feeling guilty afterward, Lois had called Jimmy and gave him a piece of her mind. With very little persuading, he'd agreed to talk to her cousin. During the call they'd worked things out and now Jimmy was coming back on Saturday. At least Chloe was happy now.

As for Lois, she didn't want to upset anyone else's holiday. Her strategy had been simple - don't be alone with Clark.

She'd realized during her sleepless night and after her outburst with Chloe that Clark triggered a rage reaction in her, both his name and his presence. Her plan was tricky because she was obligated to be at the Kent's for the holiday but she'd been able to delay her arrival by talking wedding stuff with Chloe. Once they arrived, Clark helped by staying out of Lois' way, doing chores or hanging with out with Kara. For her part, Lois kept close to Mrs. Kent.

What Lois hadn't counted on was Lana, the girl with perfect timing. During dessert, her petite frame garbed all in black had appeared in the kitchen doorway. Evidently, she needed Clark's help with a situation. To Lois' surprise, Clark had been reluctant to leave, but he eventually agreed when Kara volunteered, making it clear that he wanted Kara to enjoy this Thanksgiving with family.

The sudden outrage that slammed into Lois at Lana appearance was unexpected, but Lois was able to grit her teeth and wait for it to pass. The onslaught was brief but her anger had been noticeable, as least to Mrs. Kent. It was her probing questions that had Lois fleeing the house-

_While Kara and Chloe cleaned the dishes, Mrs. Kent wiped down the table, carefully studying the young lady who was playing with her second slice of pie._

"_Lois, is something wrong?"_

_Already battling the remorse and embarrassment that followed an outburst, Lois kept her eyes on her plate and choked out a one-word response. "No."_

_With a sigh, Mrs. Kent pulled out one of the chairs and sat down. "You haven't eaten your pie … that's a clear sign something's not right."_

_Lois smiled a little and shook her head. No way was she going to admit that she was out of control-_

"_Lois … is it Clark?"_

_Lois looked up quickly and Mrs. Kent smiled knowingly._

"_Believe me, I love my son … but I know his faults. He's cautious, almost overly so, and once he makes up his mind it's almost impossible to get him to change it." Mrs. Kent studied the dishcloth in his hand. "It's hard for him to move on …"_

_Lois leaned forward, not really thinking about the words as they poured out of her. "But he takes the time to think things through because he's always thinking about others, and once he makes up his mind, he's committed because he knows it's the best decision … for everyone." _

_Mrs. Kent's gave Lois a direct look before she wiped an imaginary crumb from the table. "You know him better than you realize."_

"_It's not what you think, Mrs. Kent-"_

_At that, Clark's mom looked directly into hazel eyes. "Have you expressed certain feelings for Clark?"_

_At the motherly demand for honesty, Lois squirmed in her seat "Well, yes-"._

"_And have you told Clark your destiny is to love him?"_

"_Huh, he told you-"_

"_And aren't you waiting for him to tell you how he feels?"_

_For the first time, Lois stopped squirming and stared back unblinking. "No."_

"_Why not?"_

_Lois looked down at her pie, watching as her fork picked it apart, trying to find the right words without sounding like some sort of quitter. "Let's just say that if Clark has to choose, I know I'll be his second," she told Mrs. Kent softly, feeling the words catch in her throat._

"_Then why do you think it's your destiny to love him?"_

_Lois shrugged as she pushed away from the table, not ready to talk about it, especially when Clark was off with his equal, his first choice. "What can I say? Sometimes fate has a sense of humor," she commented, choking a little as she tried to bring levity to the conversation. One look into Mrs. Kent's understanding eyes and Lois had to get out of there-_

Letting her body lead her, just needing to distance herself from the house and everyone in it, Lois laughed at the irony when she found herself in the loft, staring out of the window large, rough window.

Clark's quiet voice from somewhere behind made her jump. Distracted and worried about her circumstances, she'd missed him sitting on the couch, hands between his knees. "I haven't heard that in a while."

"What?" Lois asked, something easing at the sight of his familiar pose.

In the dim light, she couldn't see him clearly, but she heard him draw in a deep breath before he responded softly. "Your laugh."

Unable to form a coherent thought, let alone respond, she simply watched as Clark made his way over to the window and looked out. For a while, both of them stood staring at the stars and then Clark broke the silence hesitantly.

"Do you think what I'm doing … Lois, is it enough?"

Lois turned in surprise and caught Clark's profile. His face was filled with doubt and she didn't like it, even when - or maybe because - she was experiencing these strange bouts of anger with him.

Pausing, Lois waited for it and sighed in relief when her emotions stayed steady. "You've saved a lot of people, Clark, but is it enough? I don't' know," Lois leaned toward him as she tried to make her point. "How much is? I don't think any one person even an extraordinary one can do it all," she told him, turning to look at the stars when his eyes turned to hers.

Out of the corner of her eye, she watched him turn back to the window as well. "Is it … am I … selfish for wanting to spend the holiday with my family?"

"No, you're not selfish," Lois told him, understanding his reluctance to go with Lana. Feeling the stirrings of anger, Lois kept her eyes on the stars.

As a military brat, duty and dedication had been drilled into her, so much so that she would have given Clark a different answer if it hadn't been for battling the Darkness. One thing she'd learned from the horrors of the future was that those who toiled constantly, like Oliver, soon burned out or turned bitter. Ironically, it was her Martian friend who taught her that those fighting the good fight needed to take time to connect, to remember why they were doing what they were doing … or become lost.

She gripped the rough edge of the window, rocking on her heels while she explained. "You can't be the hero every day, all day long. Even the most dedicated get burned out, trust me. Once that happens, you forget why you started in the first place. Everyone needs time to remember and regroup and, for you, Smallville, that means spending time with friends and family." She drew in a breath and wondered … was this one of the reasons that Clark succumbed to the Darkness. Had he pushed himself too hard?

When he didn't respond, she turned. He was looking at her, his eyes warm and sincere. "Thanks, Lois."

"Sure, Clark. That's what friends are for," she told him, backing away from the intimacy of the situation. She knew she needed to be taking steps to protect herself from the inevitable, not standing around in the moonlight with Clark.

_Her destiny_.

Just the thought sent a feeling of terror through her. She had to get out of there.

"Lois, what's wrong?" Clark asked, watching with desperation – and a flash of fear - as she backed away. "What's going on?"

"I … I don't know; I'm just a little jittery today, probably too much caffeine," she told him with a distracted smile before she started to flee.

After a couple of steps, Clark grabbed her arm. "Lois about last night-" he pleaded, but Lois turned on him, staring at his hand. It was as if a switch had been flipped. In an instant, she was furious.

"Get your hands off of me," she told him through gritted teeth.

Clark released her so quickly that she almost fell, his expression incredulous. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry about last night."

"Don't' … just don't touch me," Lois told him, the anger inside exploding. "I don't want … just don't."

When Clark's initial shock wore off, he searched Lois' expression and the one on his face was pleading, "What's happening here? Lois, please tell-"

"It's okay, Clark … really." Lois told him, her fury leaving as quickly as it came. Breathing heavily, heart pounding, her eyes were guiltily drawn to his gaze and she saw his beautiful eyes fill with pain and confusion.

"I'm sorry," Lois whispered, unable to tell him anything when she didn't understand herself. Confused, hurting because she'd upset Clark, she backed over to the stairs and fled down them.

Pulling her keys from her pocket, hearing Clark call out behind her, Lois jumped into her car and drove in the direction of Metropolis. She couldn't go back to the Talon right now and she certainly couldn't stay at the farm. Getting away from Clark had become more than a priority. It had become a necessity.

_**Metropolis General, next night**_

The inside of the ambulance felt too enclosed, too confining. Lois was going a little stir crazy. It was Friday night and so far Davis had responded to a self-inflicted gun shot wound, an overdose, and two heart attacks – not one solid story in the whole bunch.

Davis was a pleasant companion, however, and in his calm presence her emotions had settled for the first time in days, almost to the point of sleep. She was tired. Every night her mind was restless with worry while her body was still, begging for sleep that wouldn't come. It was as if her body and her mind were at war. She wasn't sure how much more she could take.

Unable to simply sit inside, Lois got out of the vehicle and looked around. Needing to stretch her legs, she walked around, careful to stay out of the way of the emergency personnel, and started down the emergency drive.

That's when she saw J'onn across the street eating a cookie while he leaned against the street light.

What was J'onn doing here?

Looking around again, catching Davis' eyes so that he knew she was leaving, Lois casually walked toward her Martian friend. She could certainly use a distraction or a story, and J'onn might be good for both.

Frowning a little, she walked up and held out her hand. With a resigned look, the Martian reached into his pocket and pulled out a cookie, placing it on her palm. With a smirk, Lois took a bite spinning on her heel to look at whatever J'onn was studying.

"What are you doing here?" Lois asked after a minute of companionable silence.

J'onn took a considering bite of his cookie and turned his head in her direction. "I could ask you the same thing."

"Hmm, working on a story," Lois mumbled between bites.

"Isn't that Davis Bloome you're with?"

"Yeah … so what," Lois commented, surprised that J'onn would know Davis on sight.

"Nothing, I just thought you didn't trust him."

"That's when I thought he was the Ace of Clubs Killer," Lois shrugged. "I've gotten to know him better since then. He's okay." Lois watched the group moving around the patient, Davis included. Even among his peers he seemed isolated. Man, he reminded her of Clark in so many ways …

Lois sighed at thoughts of Clark.

Work today had been difficult, to say the least. Avoiding the guy who sat directly across from her hadn't been easy. Of course, the more she tried to steer clear of Clark, the more he wanted to talk.

_Lois was working at the table in the copy room when he walked in and closed the door._

"_You're not avoiding me, are you?" Clark asked Lois quietly._

_Lois' stunned gaze met Clark's and she jumped in her chair. She'd been so engrossed by her thoughts that she hadn't heard him. How a big man could be sneak up on her-_

"_Of course not," she smiled weakly. "I just, uhm, needed some quiet, you know, to prepare for this story."_

"_Really, which one is that?" Clark raised his eyebrows and sat down on the edge of the table._

_For a minute Lois felt suffocated by his nearness. She scooted her chair away, her eyes meeting Clark's bemused ones._

"_Lois," he cautioned, his hand reaching out to her._

_She stood, smile plastered to her face. "I've got to get ready for tonight, Clark," she told him. "I should go."_

_Her eyes widened when Clark stood at the same time, his body blocking her exit. "We need to talk."_

_Lois lost it. In an instant, she was enraged and lashing out at Clark. "Get away from me," she yelled, trying to push him with her hands and her body. He didn't move and she pushed him again, her anger so strong that tears were in her eyes. "I don't want to talk right now. God, Clark, just once couldn't you give me a break?"_

_A minute later and she could see the details of Clark's confusion and pain through her tears. Lois felt the anger disappear … completely, immediately._

_God, what was she doing?_

_Her body stilled instantly and she watched Clark with her chest heaving. "I'm … I'm so sorry, Clark."_

_His answering look was stoic. "Is this something to do with the PTSD?"_

_Lois wanted to run out of there, take off and hide, but she owed Clark some kind of explanation after her outrageous behavior. She felt her face flame with embarrassment. "I don't think so … it feels different. I … I don't know what-" Mortified by her lack of control, Lois turned away from Clark, the tears not stopping. "I … I just need some space, Clark. Give me some time, okay?"_

_Warm hands squeezed her shoulders and her body jerked in response, her heart racing as she realized the touch that usually soothed her wasn't working. What was happening to her?_

_His hands dropped. "I can't help you if I don't know what's going on."_

_Again, it was as if he'd lit a fire and her body was engulfed in pure rage. "I don't need your help," she spit out, turning around to confront the threat, chest heaving, heart racing. By the time she realized that her body was reacting to Clark like he was a threat, he was gone._

The rest of the day was miserable for Lois and, even now, she could feel the shame. She might be hurting but that was no reason to take it out on Clark …

"So, now it's your turn," Lois told J'onn, working to change the direction of her thoughts. "What exactly are you doing here?"

"I'm watching," J'onn told her, his face inscrutable.

When Lois simply rolled her eyes at him with a "duh," he sighed. "This is the group that was on duty the night Faora was here."

"You think one of them saw something?" Lois asked, looking at J'onn curiously.

When he didn't respond, she gasped. "Surely you don't think one of them is the … is Faora's son?" Lois sputtered at the idea. "That's crazy … her child wouldn't work in a place like this, a hospital."

J'onn remained calm. "I can't take that chance," he said. "Not if her son can truly destroy Kal-El and this planet."

At the mention of Clark, Lois felt the switch inside, turning on her sudden ire. "_Kal-El_ can take care of himself," she spit out, the anger leaving her as soon as the words were said. Under J'onn's intense scrutiny, her face grew red with discomfiture and she squirmed in place.

"I didn't mean that the way it sounded," she told him quietly.

"How did you mean it?"

"I didn't … I don't know," Lois told him.

"Is something wrong?"

Lois looked straight ahead, afraid to speak and lose control.

"How long?" J'onn asked curiously.

"Since … I don't know," Lois admitted. "Since the last time I was in the hospital."

"Hmm, I heard a little about the Fortress," J'onn said, an expression of wonder coming to his face. "I would have liked to have seen you tell Jor-El to 'hang on.'"

This time Lois couldn't respond, her sense of wrath so strong that it made her dizzy. She groaned and placed her head in her hands. The blood seemed to be rushing through her body and the headache was sudden and strong.

"Are you all right?" J'onn's voice was concerned.

Lois held up her hand, waiting for the feeling to dissipate. It did but slowly. "I'm okay," she told him, her voice weak and shaky.

J'onn studied her for a minute and then reached for her arm while closing his eyes.

Lois pulled away with a steely-eyed look. "Don't try to read me, J'onn. I … I should probably go," she told him, her head starting to clear, but her heart racing as if she'd been threatened. "Let me know if you find out anything."

As Lois backed away, J'onn followed. "I think I've seen enough tonight anyway," he said enigmatically.

They crossed the street quietly, Lois glancing at J'onn every now and then. He was so hard to read sometimes and, right now, she really wanted to know what he was thinking. Her heart rate increased and her head started pounding. It was as if her body considered J'onn to be a threat. It didn't make sense.

When Davis exited the hospital and started to prepare the ambulance for the next call, Lois increased her pace to reach him. For some reason, his presence seemed to calm the storm that was raging inside of her.

Her heart rate was steady and her headache eased by the time she reached his side. Lois marveled at it, wondering why her body was reacting around Davis the way it used to around Clark. Sure, Davis was okay but she didn't want that kind of relationship with him.

"Hey, Lois," Davis welcomed her with a sideways glance as he put some things in the back of the ambulance. He looked at J'onn, "Who's your friend?" Davis asked in his quiet voice.

Lois sighed. "Davis, this is J'onn Jones of Metro PD. Detective, this is Davis Bloome."

J'onn's smiled politely at the younger man when they shook hands. "I believe I've heard your name before?"

"Really," Davis said shyly. "I hope everything was legal, at least."

J'onn chuckled as he reached for Lois' hand and took it before she could react. "Good night Ms. Lane … Mr. Bloome."

With that, J'onn was gone. Lois looked after him nervously as she considered the length of his handshakes. She had the horrible feeling that J'onn had gotten exactly what he wanted tonight. Her head started pounding again and she rubbed at her forehead.

"Lois, are you feeling okay? You look a little pale," Davis commented, taking her arm and sitting her on the back of the ambulance. He took her wrist in his hand and looked at her eyes. "Your pulse is going a mile a minute."

"I'm just tired, that's all," Lois told him, feeling her body calm somewhat.

Boldly, Davis put a warm hand on her shoulder, "Hey, I don't need anyone to get sick while they're with me … it's bad for the reputation."

Lois smiled and nodded. "Don't worry," she said. "I think you have the magic touch."

At the husky sound of her voice, a sound that surprised Lois herself, Davis' hand squeezed her shoulder and his gaze changed to a questioning one. Slowly, he leaned forward, "What is it about the Lane/Sullivan women?"

Lois couldn't answer. While her mind was screaming for her to pull away, telling her that she should not be leading Davis on when her heart belonged to someone else, her body was moving forward of its own volition.

Knowing she would regret it later, feeling her mind and body at war with one another, she let Davis kiss her softly, briefly, before she managed to pull away.

Her brain was screaming at her to speak, to say something, to tell Davis that she'd made a mistake, but she couldn't. She turned away and noticed movement out of the corner of her eye. In the entrance to the nearest alley, a flash of red and blue blurred by and Lois felt her stomach drop. She was sick. Something must be wrong with her and whatever it was needed to be dealt with before she ruined everything.

"Davis, can you take me to the hospital?"

_**Kent Farm, Saturday, November 28, 2008**_

The feminine sighs were collectively loud when Chloe pulled the paper from another gift, opened the box and showed them all a beautiful long gown in a deep aqua color.

"Thank you," Chloe said to Kara as she admired the length of shiny silk.

"You're welcome," Kara said shyly her face a little red with embarrassment. Lois smiled to herself. She'd talked Kara at length about what to get, Kara taking every suggestion to heart. Evidently, while gift giving was common on Krypton, bridal showers were a complete mystery to her.

Lois fought another yawn as she tried to make note of the gift and the gift giver for Chloe's thank you cards. Her eyes blurred as she stared at the pad; she was exhausted.

All day, Lois had been going at full blast, decorating the farmhouse, setting out the food, preparing the games. Right now, she was running on about three hours of sleep and untold cups of caffeine. Last night she'd been disgusted with herself and her own emotions and finally went to the hospital looking for answers. When Davis had walked her in, she'd been relieved to find, Dr. Hamilton on duty. Unfortunately, after a number of tests and a number of questions, the doctor couldn't find anything wrong. There was no physical condition that explained her behavior. That left the PTSD. Lois nodded when Dr. Hamilton suggested it, but she knew stress was not causing whatever was happening. This was something completely different.

So, she went home, slept for a few hours and fell back on old habits – trying to work whatever this was out of her system. Today that meant giving everything she had to Chloe's bridal shower.

At least she was contributing to Chloe's happiness. The flowers and the bunting certainly lent a festive air to the first floor of the house, the green and white color scheme giving the house a holiday "feel" as well.

At the next round of "oohs" and "aahs", Lois shook her head and jerked her eyes up to see Chloe pull out part of a complete set of monogrammed towels, each a sophisticated tan color with a large scripted black "O" along the edge. Lois resisted rolling her eyes at the gift. Who would give someone towels-

"Lana, thank you so much. They're beautiful," Chloe exclaimed.

_Of course._

Blowing her bangs out of her eyes, fighting to keep her snort inside, Lois wrote "Lana Lang" and "towels."

As the parade of gifts ended, Chloe's friends started taking their leave and Lois moved to kitchen to clean. After loading up the garbage, Lois was relieved when she looked up and saw that Mrs. Kent, Chloe, Kara and Lana were the only ones left. Quickly, she pulled out her cell phone and checked her messages – another three in the last hour from Davis.

She sighed. What was she going to tell him?

_By the way, I don't have control over my emotions and that's why I kissed you_.

Yeah, that wouldn't hurt his feelings.

Lois carefully placed her phone back in her pocket, knowing she was not ready to talk to anyone when she was this tired. Snatching up the garbage she made her way outside into the late afternoon sun.

Even though it was a beautiful, unseasonably warm day the cool air struck Lois' skin, energizing her tired body. She breathed deep, blinking as her vision cleared. Dumping the garbage in the larger outdoor can, she closed the lid and turned to walk back.

She blinked... hard.

Clark was standing in the middle of the yard facing her. He stood tall and proud with his legs apart and his hands fisted at his sides. The sun was at his back but, even without seeing his face, Lois could sense the determination coming off of him in waves. The breath left her body as she realized that he was watching her.

She thought he looked absolutely magnificent.

Her heart raced and her body muscles tensed as if to flee … now.

Her mind was telling her to stay and face him, that she owed him an explanation for all of her crazy behavior this week … even if she didn't really have one. But her body, it was acting in contradiction to her thoughts, her muscles aching to move.

Lois felt frozen by indecision. When she didn't move, Clark strode purposefully forward, stopping so close that she was forced to look up to see his eyes. She could feel the heat from his body and shivered.

His blue eyes were full of purpose and … panic.

They were focused on her.

"Lois, we need to talk."

Lois nodded her head in agreement as the same time her body moved to scoot around Clark. With an exasperated look he stepped to the side to block her. She sighed, stepped the other way, and was blocked again.

"I can do this all day, if you want," Clark told her, his voice firm.

Lois shook her head, afraid to speak as the anger in her sparked to life.

This time Clark sighed. Warily, clearly reluctant, he reached out to grab her arms and hold her in place. Her anger ignited and Lois felt her body struggle even as she tried to control herself. Closing her eyes with the effort, she finally forced her body to calm.

"Lois, what's going on?"

She kept her eyes closed. For some reason she could control her body more easily that way. "I don't know," she whispered.

"What do you mean?"

At the sound of Clark's voice, her control slipped a little, "I told you, I don't know. I went to the hospital ..."

"When?"

"Last night … I … Dr. Hamilton couldn't find anything wrong."

"Well … is that why you've been avoiding me, why you've been … what exactly is the problem?" Clark asked, his voice sounding husky to Lois' ears.

She shuddered a little. "I … it's like I can't control myself-"

Clark snorted, and Lois opened her eyes to see his disbelieving look.

His hands moved from her arms, and she felt the loss of warmth even as she took a deliberate step away.

His lips were pressed tightly together when he spoke. "So, that's your excuse."

"Excuse?" Lois exclaimed, her voice getting louder as she felt her control moving away. "I'm telling you what's been happening-"

"You're telling me that the fact that you don't want me to touch you … that's out of your control," Clark stepped forward, his fists clenched at his sides.

"That's right," Lois said loudly, agitated by Clark's reaction.

"What about kissing Davis?" Clark asked, his own voice rising in response. He kept stepping stepped closer to Lois and she kept backing up. "Was that out of your control, too?"

Clark's observation didn't surprise her. Lois has suspected when she saw the red and blue that Clark had been there. That's one of the reasons she'd gone to the hospital. Things were getting out of control. Nonetheless, his accusation stung. Her anger flared and her eyes narrowed, "Were you spying on me?"

Clark's eyes flashed in response. "No, I was bringing a victim to the hospital and saw you …" Something in him seemed to break and his shoulders slumped. "I saw you kissing him," he told her softly.

By the time Clark stopped moving Lois realized that she had backed herself up to the barn door. She stopped, something in Clark's expression confusing her. "So what?"

"What …" Clark's eyes practically bugged out of his head. "What do you mean, so what?"

"I mean 'so what,'" Lois shouted, her anger increasing suddenly at Clark's obtuseness, even as he started moving again, backing her into the dark quiet of the barn. "You shouldn't … you don't … care."

Clark's look was incredulous still. "Of course I care, Lois," he told her. "I … you're-"

"I'm what?"

"You're … my friend … and partner," he said hesitantly.

"And what about the other, Clark?"

_We're co-workers … and friends … and this …_

It took a minute but Clark seemed to realize what he'd said. His expression shifted, his eyes taking her in while his hands twitched. It was if he needed to touch her, the desire flashing in his eyes. Instinctively, her body moved away, backing her even further into the recesses of the building.

At her wary movements, Clark went on the defensive, challenging her with a question of his own. "Why Davis?" Clark asked, stalking forward while she moved back. "I didn't think you even liked the guy."

Confused by her own feelings, angry, afraid and ashamed, she shouted, "Well, I do!"

"Since when?"

"Since I don't know," Lois answered honestly, feeling trapped. With one bold move, she lunged for the open door, needing to escape. Clark was mixing her up, heightening her anger but bringing up other feelings as well, feelings Lois wasn't ready to face in her exhausted condition.

Clark moved in front of her and blocked her escape with his body.

"Stop it, Lois," he shouted. "Can't you see … don't you know … I'm just trying to look out for you."

There was something in his eyes, a warm and tender look, but Lois ignored it. She had to … her body was telling her to run, to get away. Her head was telling her to stay. It was all so confusing and, after a week, she was tired of it.

"I don't need anyone to look after me," she told him, keeping her voice calm while her eyes searched for an exit.

Clark tried to match her calm tone but it was a struggle, if his breathing was any indication. "Of course you need someone to watch out for you … God, of all the people I know, you need the most looking after," his voice became deeper. "Didn't the … didn't the jeweler teach you anything?"

Lois stopped looking for an exit as her gaze slammed into Clark's.

_He dared to …_

_Pain._

_Do you love this man?_

Her entire body shook with anger while the tears filled her eyes. She lost it. Words poured out of her and the tears streamed down her face. Her hands braced themselves against Clark's chest and she pushed, as hard as she could.

"You really … you want to know what the jeweler taught me? How about honesty … yeah, he was big on that. Guess what? I've been honest with you, Clark. Let me ask you, have you been as honest with me?" With another shove, she watched as guilt and fear crossed his face. "Right," she drawled out. "That's what I thought."

Another push, another shove and, "What else … oh, yeah. He taught me how to handle pain … and well, thanks to you, that's come in handy," Clark's eyes widened. "I know about Lana," she told him. "I know why you haven't said anything about my … about what I said at the Fortress …" The ache made her voice hitch. "You know what, you two deserve each other. I hope you'll be the perfectly happy hero couple."

"Lo-"

"Clark," she interrupted. "I'm a big girl."

Angry tears were falling now and she took one last deep breath. "I told you before, just don't …" one last push, "don't touch me. I … don't need your protection. God, I know you don't want me, so leave me alone!"

With one last shove, Lois tried to move past Clark to the barn door but, before she could take a step, she found herself in Clark's arms. Her mind went completely blank as her body fought for freedom. Clark didn't budge, only held her tighter when she tried to strike him with her fists. Of course, hitting him was like striking steel and she realized she was only hurting herself. Eventually, drained of energy, she surrendered and her body softened against Clark's.

Reflexively his arms tightened around her and she sighed, wondering why she was fighting him so hard when his arms felt so good, when every part of him felt so right.

"Lois," Clark's husky voice cut through the flurry of emotions she was experiencing in his arms. "I do want … I can't tell … you don't understand," Clark took a deep breath as she turned her tear-filled gaze to his, and it was like she was seeing him, really seeing him, all over again.

Why had she tried to push him away all week?

For the first time since she'd been in the Fortress she felt whole, complete.

At the look in her eyes, his turned a dark blue, so warm and captivating that she almost missed his softly spoken words. "The jeweler taught me something, too, you know …"

Deep blue eyes roamed over every inch of her face, his deepening tone sending shivers through her. "He taught me that actions speak louder than words."

Wide-eyed, she could only continue to stare as his head lowered and he captured her lips with his. The kiss was soft and coaxing, drawing up feelings Lois hadn't experienced since the Fortress. With Clark's lips moving on hers and the touch of his tongue making her tremble, her scattered emotions came together to form one complete feeling … desire. She wanted him so much that it hurt …

So she kissed him back with everything she'd been feeling, pouring out all her frustration and anger …

Soon, she heard a moan.

_Wait._

That was her.

_She hurt. It really hurt._

Lois gasped at the sharp pain that filled her body.

_No. Not now._

There was a blinding flash and the pain in her head became excruciating. Lois heard Clark's voice calling to her as if through a curtain or veil. He sounded alarmed and she wanted to help him somehow, but couldn't. The pain held her in its clutches. She felt completely incapacitated. With another blinding flash, her mind pulled up her memories.

_Lois was walking into her small apartment, muttering to herself about the new curfew, finding Oliver on the floor, blood everywhere …_

No. Why these memories? They hadn't been bothering her all week. She was over this. Outside her own thoughts she could hear a commotion - a shout, a crash, screaming – but none of that seemed important, none of it penetrated this internal battle. Against her desires her memories went on.

_In her office, Lois finished shutting down her computer, rose from her desk and froze. Standing across from her was Clark Kent, dressed head to toe in black, wearing a completely blank expression. She couldn't believe it; he was Night …_

The pain was taking her control, but Lois fought anyway, trying to focus on something else. She didn't want these memories, had enough of reliving these events. Counting didn't work; even reciting the alphabet was a bust. The pain was blocking everything but these remembrances.

_Lois struggled, turning her head and jerking back …Night's eyes burned red and suddenly, her attacker's sleeves were on fire, but he didn't let go. Laughing maniacally, the man hung on to Lois' throat, as they both burned …_

Weren't these events supposed to be protected? She struggled now, feeling that something was being taken from her. These were not the thoughts she wanted. She reached for her childhood memories or even more recent events but it was as if she had no control.

_Night had taken care of her and now that she was healed, she was pushing him to the limit with every escape attempt. She wouldn't stay a prisoner. Instead she would free herself and Clark, watching for signs of Clark with every show of strong emotion …_

Through the agony, she knew that it was vital that she fight, that she hang on to these memories, even if she didn't want to relive them.

_The sinister voice of the Darkness slithered across her senses. "Oh, didn't you know? In every incarnation of Clark Kent, you are his second choice," the creature chuckled and Lois felt her weakness, her heartache exploited as the Darkness attempted to claim her …_

Finally, with the sheer force of her will, she stopped trying to block the memories and instead clung to the last one, clutching it to her like a security blanket, burying it deep in the recesses of her mind and her heart, where it continued to play over and over again …

_Clark's hands continued their soft caresses, easing the pain, saving her. With startling clarity, it occurred to her that she could do the same for him._

_So she kissed him with everything she had, sensing his surprise as she did. It didn't take long, however, before he was returning her kisses and setting her body on fire. Running her hands through his hair, she gloried in its silky softness before guiding her hands lower, over his t-shirt and under it, moving her fingers over the coolness of his skin. She could feel his skin warm with each touch, caress, and kiss. He was coming back to her and there was nothing that she wanted more, nothing she would ever want more …_


	13. Chapter 12 Legion Lessons

**CHAPTER TWELVE – LEGION LESSONS**

_**Kent Barn, same day**_

The inside of the barn was dark and quiet and Clark moved around the broken pieces of wood that littered the dirt floor. He was still in shock from the events of the past few hours. In a matter of minutes he'd lost two of the most important people in his life.

One was lying in a hospital bed unconscious, while the other had simply disappeared.

How had his life gotten so completely out of control?

All he'd wanted to do was to get through to Lois … break down the walls she'd put up since the Fortress. First, she'd told him it was her "destiny" to love him and then she'd pushed him away in anger. Confused and scared, he'd confronted her and now she was in the hospital unconscious.

Reaching into his pocket, Clark pulled out his phone and checked his messages, her pale face foremost in his mind. His heart sank at the empty screen. No word from Chloe. A message from Chloe meant news … no message, no change.

His heart filled with guilt as he thought of his reaction to Lois' explanation for the way she'd been behaving lately. He should have known she was telling the truth but he'd been upset and … jealous. He could admit that now.

_Excuse? I'm telling you what's been happening-_

Afraid of losing her, he'd reacted badly. Now he couldn't shake the idea that he was responsible somehow … that he'd pushed her too hard. All he'd wanted was a _response._ He couldn't stand her pulling away from him. In just a couple of days he'd come to miss her so much.

_I've been honest with you, Clark. Let me ask you, have you been as honest with me?_

Alone in silence, he shook his head as if she was standing there with him. He hadn't been honest with Lois, not because he was trying to keep things from her but because … well, he hadn't been honest with himself. It was so simple. His feelings for her were stronger than he wanted to admit. He'd been hanging onto their friendship, afraid of losing her if they became more than friends ...

With shaky legs he started up the stairs to look at the damage to the loft, Lois' words echoing in his head.

_I know you don't want me, so leave me alone!_

She was wrong. He'd been scared but _not wanting her_ wasn't possible.

Half the time, he was so busy fighting his attraction for her that he couldn't speak coherently. No other woman had ever tempted him so physically. Even fighting with her this afternoon stirred his senses until he wanted to simply throw her over his shoulder and carry her away to some place where he could touch her.

He'd meant it when he told her that _actions speak louder than words_.

But she'd heard about Lana's powers somehow and just assumed that Clark would go back to her. Well, _if actions speak louder_ … his head hung down in shame and stopped about halfway up.

Based on his past actions, he could understand why Lois would make that assumption. In fact, he had considered trying again with Lana. After all, she was what he'd wanted for so long. Then he spent time with both Lana and Lois and ended up comparing the two, despite his best intentions. A couple of weeks ago he'd begun to realize that what he really wanted with Lana was closure, but then she'd made herself powerful … for him. He'd spent most of this week trying to decide if that made a difference.

In the end it was his mother's words that helped him make up his mind. _This was her choice and you're not bound by it. You need to think about how you feel. If you let guilt influence you … you'll make a mistake._

Unfortunately, guilt seemed to be a constant in his relationship with Lana, frequently leading him back to her, and he'd let the emotion delay him again. He was pathetic, still doing the same things and following the same patterns.

Even when he tried to take a stand and make a choice, disaster struck. His hands fisted at his sides and he leaned against the rough wood wall on the right side of the stairs. The problem was that he may have waited too long. Afraid of ending up alone, he'd tried to keep both women in his life, not wanting to hurt either, and had ended up hurting both in the end.

He could see Lana's face as she stood in the doorway earlier this evening, her eyes on the pale woman in his arms. Her hurt and resigned expression told him that she'd seen him kiss Lois before she collapsed.

"_Clark, what happened?"_

"_I don't know," he told her, looking down at Lois' pale face._

_He was speaking to Lois softly and rubbing her palm with his thumb, but those things weren't working. _

_Clark started to panic. Nothing was happening. _

"_Lois, come on. It'll be all right; I promise," his voice broke on the last word._

"Clark, is this related to what happened before?" Lana was standing at his shoulder now.

"I' m not sure," he told her, his voice sounding lost even to his own ears. The longer it was taking, the more jumbled his thoughts were becoming.

Before he could say anything else, Lana looked at him pointedly, "Clark, just go. Get her to the hospital-"

Clark nodded, feeling his brain starting to clear … the hospital.

Just as he'd planned to super speed to the hospital, Kara appeared in the barn door, her startled glance going from him to Lois to Lana and back. Clark was ready to ignore his cousin and let Lana explain, but the strange white light appeared in the loft, followed by a crashing sound that startled them all.

Opening his eyes, Clark pulled away from the wall and surveyed the damage below, not ready to climb to the loft just yet. A few hours ago, there'd been no damage to the barn. He blinked slowly as he realized how fast everything had gone horribly wrong.

_In a flash of yellow and blue, Kara was up the stairs followed by another crashing sound and a shout from Kara, "Hey, what are you doing?"_

_At the question, Clark started forward, wondering why anyone was in the loft. _

_Lana put her hand on his arm and looked at Lois. "I'll go," she said quietly, speeding up the stairs. _

_She didn't speak until she reached the top of the stairs, then he heard her cry out, "Kara, watch out!"_

_There was the sound of splintering wood and Kara shot through the loft wall and landed on the floor a few feet from Clark. Focused on his wide-eyed cousin Clark was shocked when an axe-wielding giant jumped through the debris and followed her down to the first level._

_Frozen for a minute, Clark could only take in the attacker's size. He looked like a giant; his arms and legs were like tree trunks, his rough metal mask covering everything but a pair of beady eyes. Clark hadn't seen such a large man since he'd gone up against Titan a couple of years before. Some part of his mind wondered if the man was a Zoner but then the giant swung his rough-hewn axe at Kara with a roar and Clark forgot about his origins as he rushed forward to help his cousin._

_What he was going to do with his arms full of Lois was a mystery but, before he could do anything, Lana jumped down from the second level onto the giant's back. Taken by the surprise, the giant flinched and the axe missed Kara's head by inches._

_From her position on his back, Lana tried to reach for the weapon but the attacker turned his back sharply, swinging Lana into Kara. Both women fell to the floor and the giant continued circling the axe around in just in time to connect with Kara's arm._

_Clark heard the crunch before he saw the blood, shocked that the weapon worked. Kara staggered back in surprise as Lana rose to her feet, reaching under the large man's arm to hold the weapon. As they wrestled for the axe, Kara moved forward with a roundhouse kick to the giant's stomach. "Let go," she cried to Lana, who released the axe as soon as Kara's foot hit their assailant. The man in metal went flying through the air, and a couple of support posts, before landing up against the barn wall._

_He twitched a little and Kara stalked over to kick him again. She jerked the weapon from his fingers._

"_I'll take that," she told him, looking more closely at his hand. "Hey, look at thi-"_

_Those were the last words Clark heard from her. In a brilliant flash of white light, Kara and the man completely disappeared_.

"_Lana," Clark choked out._

"_I'm on it Clark," Lana told him. "Go; take Lois," she added before speeding away to look for his cousin._

Straightening, Clark looked around the barn, still stunned by everything that had happened. He needed to clean up but couldn't make himself do it. All the damage, all of the losses were just too fresh, too new. Checking his phone one more time to confirm no messages, he used his super speed and took off, running in a northerly direction, hoping to find his lost cousin - and make things right - somehow.

_**Metropolis, December 5, 2008**_

_They were back in the warehouse with the truth or dare murderer, the jeweler moving between them like a mad scientist, adjusting knobs and talking all the while._

_Across from him Clark could see just see Lois tied to a post with chains, electrodes practically covering her body. The jeweler was speaking but he couldn't hear the words through the pain. There was so much pain … and nausea …and sweating. Everything seemed to be covered in a green mist. Then Clark saw the Kryptonite … at his feet and on the jeweler's wrist._

_"Oh, yes," the jeweler told Clark. "I knew that you were the one, the one who cared, the one who needed to be honest with her," the jeweler paused and even his eyes seemed to glow green. "But you haven't been honest, have you? Don't you know that you'll never truly have her love unless you're honest with her?"_

_Out of the green mist Lana appeared standing next to the jeweler, looking like she had in high school. "You need to be honest with her, Clark."_

_His head hung down in shame. Lana was right … he needed to be honest._

_"If he saves you … you're more important to him than you realize," the jeweler turned his green eyes to Lois_.

_Clark looked up at those words and watched as Kara appeared out of the mist, standing next to Lana. "You didn't save me, Kal-El. Am I not important to you?"_

_Clark tried to speak, to tell Kara that she was special; she was his family, but he couldn't say a word. _

_Then Lois seemed to glow brighter and he realized with a start that he was losing her … her head hung down and her body had gone completely still. Clark could almost see her spirit leaving her body. The jeweler was killing her and he hadn't even given Clark a chance to save her._

_He struggled against the chains that bound him. He tried to call out but no words came. All he could do was watch. He knew the exact moment she was gone._

_There was so much pain. _

_His chest was on fire and tears streamed down his cheeks. He tried to scream but, again, there was no sound. _

_The pain in his chest was tortuous. He looked down and saw that there was Kryptonite, right where his heart should be._

_His cry echoed off the walls before everything went dark._

_Clark's eyes opened slowly, watching as the green mist dissipated and the warehouse was surrounded in white light. The green mist had disappeared._

_Shapes became visible at the same time Clark realized he was free … free to move. He walked toward one of the shapes and recognized a platform. He was in the Fortress alone._

_He was completely alone. The pain in his chest returned and, for a minute, he couldn't breathe._

_That's when he saw her. She was walking toward him looking around like she was searching for something._

"_Lois." Clark called out, his voice echoing in the empty silence of the Fortress._

"_Smallville," she turned to him with a smile, but it was off somehow. There was sadness and resignation in it. Slowly she walked to him and placed her hands on each side of his face. The pain in his chest eased. He waited to hear her words. He needed to hear the words._

" _I know I'm not important to you …" Her smile faded. "You didn't save me."_

_His heart stopped; those weren't the words. His chest exploded with pain. "No, that's not true. I love-"_

_But she was gone in a flash of white._

"_Nooo, Lois."_

"_Lois." _

"Lois!" Clark started awake with his heart pounding in his chest so hard that it hurt.

He'd fallen asleep at his desk again. Carefully, he sat up and looked around the newsroom. No one seemed to be paying him any attention. Unobtrusively, he straightened his tie and rubbed his hands over his face. He felt the moisture there and frowned. Every time he fell asleep it was the same dream, always the same, and every time he woke to sweat and tears.

Quietly Clark made his way to the men's room and used the sink to splash some cold water on his face. He was surprised that the face that looked back at him appeared so normal. He should be grateful that his outer appearance didn't reflect what was going on inside. He'd probably look like some sort of crazed Jekyll and Hyde. That's certainly how he'd felt since Lois was hospitalized.

Slowly, he walked back to his desk, keeping his eyes fixed straight ahead, making an effort not to look at the empty desk across from his own.

"Hey, C.K.," Jimmy's voice reached Clark as he was about to sit down. He stopped and forced out a tight smile.

"Uhm, you going to the hospital tonight?" Jimmy asked him carefully.

Clark nodded, not trusting his voice to work.

"Okay, well … we'll see you there, then," he said giving Clark a pat on the arm.

Clark raised his hand in farewell. "Right," he croaked. "See you there."

He ran his hand over his tired eyes as they travelled involuntarily to her name plate. It seemed to mock him.

_You need me, Smallville_.

After days of hearing her voice in his head, he had to fight the childish urge to stick his fingers in his ears. Even when she was unconscious, she was lecturing him, prodding him to let it all out.

The impact of her absence was still a shock to him. He'd expected to miss her … knew that he would worry about her and want her to get better. What he hadn't expected was the crushing weight of all his other emotions … pain, guilt, frustration, hurt, sorrow, and want. His feelings were so strong at times that they frightened him.

So every day he made an effort to keep things normal. He arrived at work on time. He sat down at his desk and nodded at a few co-workers. Sometimes, he typed a few words. More often than not he blurred away to save those in distress. The extra effort was necessary without Kara around.

Each day he ate lunch, usually at the same time, and tried not to look at the empty desk across from him. After lunch, he typed a few more words and made a few more rescues.

When the pain, fear, or want would overwhelm him, he'd stuff his feelings deep inside, telling himself that everything would be fine. The easiest way to keep the emotions at bay was to keep things normal … to work, rescue, and eat. He could do that.

The only problem was that, no matter how he tried, nothing _felt _normal without her.

Each day it got worse and now it seemed like he was two different people. At times, his emotions and reactions were so over-the-top that he was afraid he would hurt someone. The rest of the time, he clamped down on his emotions so tightly that he felt numb.

These reactions weren't new. He'd certainly been known to bury his emotions before, put aside what he was feeling for the good of others, but never so severely. If he kept this up, he was sure he would become an emotionless shell. While that thought should scare him, had scared him in the past, it didn't anymore. A big part of him welcomed the idea of a life without guilt, anger, fear, sorrow, or want.

Maybe that's what being a real Kryptonian was about.

If so, then he finally felt like he was coming to grips with his destiny.

_My destiny is to love you_.

The voice in his head was so clear that Clark actually turned his head to look for her. When he realized what was happening, he shut his eyes tight and fought the urge to beat his head against the desk, ready to try anything to keep her voice out. Every day he grew emptier, her voice grew stronger, as if she knew he was slipping away.

Behind closed lids, he could see her face clearly as she faced him, warmth and caring in her expression. She stood so close that he could see the brown and green in her almond-shaped eyes and feel her breath on his face. He held his own as her hands reached up to clasp his face between her palms. In his mind, he stood still until her lips touched his and then he was achingly alive in her kiss. Only she had that power … to make him feel so real and so alive.

Clark bit back a moan and slammed his hands onto the surface of the desk, pushing himself away. He had to get out of there. Ignoring looks from some of his co-workers, he strode to the stairwell where he blurred into his red and blue and took off into the night, trying to keep things normal, like that would ever be possible now.

A couple hours and a couple of saves later, Clark was at the hospital, trying to fight his overwhelming emotions, feeling a little guilty for extra bumps and bruises the bad guys had experienced at his hands tonight.

He stood at the window wanting to smash his hand through it. God, the numbness was so much better than this … no one in this room could handle it if he let go of everything he was feeling right now. Only years of practice prevented Clark from giving into the urge to demolish the room, to wave his arm across it and send everything flying, to rave at Chloe to just shut up. In the hospital surrounded by everyone else, it was so hard for him to pretend he was okay.

That's why he tried to bury his emotions. Too bad _she_ wouldn't let him.

On the other side of the room, Dr. Hamilton was telling Chloe the same thing he'd told her the night before … and the night before that. It was the same discussion they'd had every night since Lois was admitted. Clark tried to tune them out.

"Couldn't this be related to the PTSD? You said her brain waves seem normal-" Chloe asked.

"It's possible but that doesn't leave us with many options in terms of treatment …" Dr. Hamilton responded carefully.

It was always the same. Chloe argued with Dr. Hamilton, while Jimmy looked on uncomfortably and Clark kept silent. He couldn't understand why Chloe did it. She knew what was wrong with Lois; they both did. Still Chloe felt compelled to engage in the same useless exercise.

Clark took a deep breath and tried to control his frustration. It didn't matter what Dr. Hamilton suggested. Traditional medicine was not going to work. Lois was infected by Brainiac and there was no way to remove it. The Phantom Zone crystal, which might have worked, was gone with Kara and her attacker.

Despite his efforts, his frustration continued to build as he thought about what he'd learned that first night in the hospital. After looking for Kara, he'd returned to find J'onn waiting for him in Lois' room.

_"I saw her last night and suspected something was wrong," J'onn told Clark and Chloe, turning his head to look at Lois' still form. "She had an unnatural animosity to any mention of …" He looked at Clark._

_"Me," Clark finished bitterly, nodding for his friend to continue._

_"I took her hand before I left and I could feel its presence in her."_

_"Its … what?" Chloe asked, her eyes going from J'onn to Clark and back again. "What 'it' are we talking about?" Clark watched as the light went on. "No, not Brainiac," she gasped, staring at Lois' pale form and then glaring at Clark. "How could that happen?" The fire faded as realization struck. "The Fortress …"_

_Clark watched as the wheels turned. The fire was back in her eyes in an instant. "How could you let that happen?"_

_He stood quietly with his hands in his pockets. What could he say? There was no excuse._

_J'onn interrupted, looking between the two of them. "I think we can remove the Construct."_

_"How?" Chloe took her eyes away from Clark to focus on J'onn. "How do we get rid of that thing without the Fortress?"_

_Having her glare focused on him seemed to take the Martian by surprise. His eyes went wide. "Well, Kara has the Phantom Zone crystal and we've talked about how to use it to remove the infection from the Fortress-"_

_"Kara isn't here," Clark interrupted flatly, closing his eyes when he realized the full impact of Kara's disappearance. Was it coincidence? Probably not. "She was attacked earlier in the barn by a guy with an axe, and then they both disappeared."_

_His friend's dark eyes looked at him questioningly and Chloe's were filled with disbelief. "Are you kidding me?" She demanded. "How did she just disappear?"_

_"She's gone, Chloe," Clark knew his tone was frustrated but he didn't care. "There was this white light and she was gone. Lana and I have been looking for her but we haven't had any luck so far."_

_J'onn nodded determinedly. "Then I'll join Ms. Lang in the search," he told them. "Tell me what you can about this attacker," he ordered Clark._

_While Clark was explaining to J'onn, a worried Chloe stepped over to Lois and Clark's eyes followed her. J'onn leaned in and placed his hand on Clark's arm. "Lois is strong, Kal-El," he told Clark. "If anyone can survive the Construct, she can."_

_Clark nodded, looking at the pale figure on the bed. She was one of the strongest people he knew but she was only human_ …

And with all his powers, he couldn't do anything to save her. J'onn had joined in the search for Kara … without luck. Clark and J'onn had gone to the Fortress but the place was still dark, infected by the Construct. Clark had even called Victor at one point to see if he had any ideas. Nothing worked.

It was like Ryan, Alicia, or his father all over again. What good were his powers if he couldn't save his friends and family? His hand flexed just a little toward the window and he shoved both fists into his pockets. He should just keep his hands to himself tonight.

When Davis checked in at the same time to follow up and talk to Chloe about treatments, it was all Clark could do not to rip his head off. Thankfully, he didn't stay long. He never stayed long, his eyes always darting to Clark while he was there. Sometimes Clark could see the accusation in them; other times it was just wariness.

Tonight he ignored the paramedic, waiting for visiting hours to be over. If the past few days were any indication, he wouldn't find peace until everyone was gone.

Finally, it was Jimmy who gave the word, just like clockwork.

"Come on, Chloe. We should probably go," Jimmy's voice breached Clark's thoughts and his body relaxed.

"Coming, C.K?"

Clark nodded, avoiding Chloe's pointed gaze. She probably knew about his late-night visits but he didn't care. He carefully schooled his features as he walked out, making his farewells in the parking lot. When everyone was gone he turned on his heel and headed back into the hospital.

After the past six days, he could no longer deny Lois' impact on him. Ironic that she brought stability to his life, when she had so little in her own - still, he knew now - he was off-kilter and unbalanced without her.

Clark bent his head over her hand, wrapping his larger one around it, feeling a sense of calm through her still fingers. There was pain here but it didn't overwhelm him. At least he could talk about his feelings with her.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

_No one can guarantee my safety, Clark. You can't be the hero every day, all day long_.

"Still, I should have told you …"

_Tell me what's in your heart. That's what matters_

So he told her about the day, about losing it and hitting a couple of criminals a little harder than he should have, about his nightmare, and how he'd fallen asleep at his desk.

At the end of it, feeling the hope that always seemed to come back when he spent this time with her, he knew that his failures would never stop him from trying. She would expect nothing less.

_Rule number six - always cover your bases_.

Rubbing soft circles in her palm with one hand, he used the other to open the drawer to the bedside table, pulling out his Dad's copy of Tom Sawyer. Turning the dog-eared pages to the place he'd left off the night before, Clark started to read softly, "Tom was a glittering hero once more - the pet of the old, the envy of the young." He looked up at her face, always expecting to see a smile or a smirk, turning back to the book with a heavy heart when her eyes remained closed.

"His name even went into immortal print, for the village paper magnified him. There were some that believed he would be President, yet, if he escaped hanging.…"

_Her heart rate slowed at the sound of your voice - tell me, have you brought her out of these before?_

Dr. Hamilton's words echoed in the back of his mind as he continued reading.

The dawn was breaking when he stopped, marking the page and tucking the book out of sight. Off in the city he heard a cry for help. Leaning down, he gave a quick kiss to the woman lying there and whispered a final reminder before speeding away, "You promised," he said, his voice rumbling next to her ear, talking to her - talking, just in case.

… _tell me, have you brought her out of these before?_

"Remember, you promised," Clark whispered again.

And then it was there – her voice in his head – sounding like she was right next to him.

_Promise … I'll never leave you._

_**Kent farm, same morning**_

Clark sped into the barn. There was time to do the chores before showering and heading into work. He stopped suddenly when he realized it was Saturday.

The week was over and it was the weekend - not a work day. What was he supposed to do? He panicked, knowing that he would need something to keep himself occupied.

Walking more slowly, he looked at the destruction to the barn and nodded. He'd just found a way to spend the day. If he didn't use powers, it should take him at least eight hours to finish the repairs. A part of him sighed with relief.

"Hey, this is his jacket!"

Startled, Clark looked up. An unfamiliar boy's voice wafted down from the loft. "I saw this at the museum months ago …"

"Put that down, Garth-" Clark could hear another man's voice now.

"Oh, get the magnet out of your ass, Rokk," the young voice was interrupted as Clark sped up the stairs, stopping when he saw three strangers in his loft, two men and a woman, with one very familiar figure.

"Kara," Clark choked out, rushing forward to hug his cousin. "Kara! Where have you been?"

Her lack of response was deafening. Clark pulled away to search her face.

"I … I can't really tell you that, Clark," she said softly, looking over his shoulder at the three strangers.

Clark stared at her in shock. "No!" He shouted. "I won't accept that, not after … You've been gone for almost a week, Kara." Clark took a deep breath and lowered his voice. "Tell me … what happened?"

One of the men behind him spoke up. "She's been with us, Kal-El. I know this is going to sound strange to you, but we're … we're from the future."

Clark turned to the dark-haired man slowly and looked at him carefully. He was young and serious with brown hair and eyes to match. With all the questions racing in his head he held onto the first question that came to mind, "How do you know that name?"

The grinning red-head holding his school jacket was the one that answered. "We know everything about you, man. One of these days you'll be known as Su-"

"Garth," the dark-haired man interrupted tersely. "You know better than that." He looked at Clark apologetically. "There are rules-"

"I don't care about your rules!" After the last week, Clark's patience was at an end. "My cousin's been missing; my … Lois is unconscious in the hospital. Just tell me what's going on."

The dark-haired man sighed. "The man who was in your barn – the Persuader – he stole a ring from us and traveled back in time. We think his purpose was to destroy the crystal-"

"But I had it on me," Kara interrupted, seeing the look on Clark's face. "And when I grabbed the axe I touched the ring and we traveled forward. The Legion found me …"

"Legion … what kind of Legion?" Clark asked, looking around at the three strangers.

"It doesn't matter," the dark-haired man answered. "Just know that we're friends-"

Wait a minute," the third stranger, a young blond woman spoke up, looking concerned suddenly. "Did you say Lois?" She looked at the other two. "Lois Lane is unconscious?"

Clark nodded, and the woman's look spoke volumes. "That shouldn't be possible."

"Well, she is, and has been, for almost a week," Clark told them, stepping forward, feeling his sense of helplessness turning to anger at the thought that these people from the future knew something about Lois. If they did, they'd better share … He let his eyes roam over each of their faces, and it was only their clear concern that calmed his hostility.

Rokk spoke first, looking at the blond girl. "The protections …"

Something clicked in Clark's memory. "Jor-El mentioned that Lois' mind had certain protections," he said stepping forward, his hands itching to hit something again. "Are you the ones that put them there?"

It was Kara's hand on his arm that stopped him from grabbing the boy and shaking the information out of him. "Why is Lois unconscious, Kal-El?"

Clark looked at her and he knew the guilt was in his expression, "She's been infected by Brainiac," he told her.

In Kara's eyes he saw a quick flash of pain, reflecting her own experience with the Construct. He winced and heard the words from his nightmare.

_You didn't save me, Kal-El. Am I not important to you?_

As stressed as he was about Lois, he needed to let Kara know … he hugged her tightly. "I'm glad you're back, Kara. We'll find a way to save her."

"I may have it, Kal-El," she told him, after returning his embrace. She pulled back to look at him and the others. "We should try the crystal on Lois first, before we take it to the Fortress."

"Wait," Clark said slowly. "You still have the crystal with you?"

At her nod, he grabbed her arms excitedly. "Then we need to get to the hospital right away. J'onn said he thought the crystal was the only thing that would work. Nothing else has … we need to go," Clark told her urgently, his heart racing at the thought of Lois awake and alive, returned to them, returned to _him …_

"Follow me," Clark told them, starting to race away.

"Kal-El," Kara said, stopping him at the top of the stairs. He turned to see Kara and the three newcomers floating above the floor … ready for flight. "We'll meet you there."

_Of course they could fly._

He marveled at the level of Lois' influence when he rolled his eyes at Kara_. _"Fine, I'll see you there … room 207."

Clark couldn't seem to calm his racing heart as he sped back into the city, only to find Lois still unconscious while Kara and her friends worked around her. Kara was trying to get the crystal in place while the young blond stood by Lois' forehead, hand resting there.

"She's in there but she's weak," the young woman said.

Clark felt his heart skip. The pain in his chest was sudden, sharp, and deep.

Kara placed the crystal on Lois' forehead as well, next to the woman's hand, and activated it. Nothing happened.

The young woman shook her head at the others while Clark walked forward. "It's not working."

"Why not?" Kara asked. "It should work. The concept is sound."

To Clark's surprise, the red-haired man – Garth, was it? – grabbed Lois' hand and squeezed. "Come on … come on," he urged. "The great Lois Lane does not give up."

How well did these kids know Lois? What had they done?

Clark walked up to the dark-haired man … Rokk. "What's happening?"

"The crystal isn't working to extract Brainiac. It should work," he said almost absentmindedly. "History tells us-" He stopped abruptly, as if he realized he'd revealed too much.

"History's changed, Rokk," Imra told him quietly. "She's changed it and now-"

Garth interrupted, "Still, the protections should have prevented this."

"That's it! It is the protections," Imra told him. "The Construct has penetrated the protections we placed in her mind and is somehow hiding within them." The girl was obviously uneasy.

"What can we do?" Clark demanded. If these kids created the problem, as he was beginning to suspect, then they could certainly come up with some solutions.

"Imra," Rokk said to the young blond. "How long do we have?"

She shook her head. "Not long. We're losing her-"

"No!" Clark shouted before he even realized he'd spoken.

"We're going to have to take her with us," Rokk told Imra, nodding to Kara and Garth. They responded back with nods of their own.

Instinctively, Clark knew that he was being left out. "With you …" he repeated to Rokk, grabbing the young man's arm. "Where are you taking her?"

Kara came around from the head of the bed and removed Clark's arm. "Kal-El, we need to take her ahead to the future. We can help her there," she looked at him with deep sympathy. "You need to let us do this."

Clark shook his head before she was finished. "I'm going with you."

"You can't," Kara told him, fear and understanding swirling behind her eyes.

"I will," Clark argued forcefully. "I can't leave her-"

"She's fading," Imra shouted out. "We need to go now!"

As he watched, Kara turned from him and raised her fist in the air to meet three others. That's when Clark realized they were all wearing rings.

_I touched the ring and we traveled forward …_

Timing it carefully, not bothering to listen to the words they spoke, Clark reached for Kara's hand just as the white light started to glow.

As soon as he covered her hand with his he heard the panic in her voice, "Kal-El, no … you can't-"

He didn't hear the rest. His senses shut down as he was surrounded by bright white light.

When the light quickly faded, Clark stumbled a little, feeling disoriented. Looking around, he realized he was in a dark room that looked vaguely familiar. He and Kara were still in Lois' hospital room but it was empty and dark. In fact the entire building seemed quiet, too quiet.

"Kara, where are we?" Something about the quiet encouraged Clark to keep his voice low. "Where's Lois?"

"I don't know," she said looking around the room as if it would give her the answers. "I wasn't focused." Her voice was flustered as she looked around. "We're in the future but I don't know-"

Before she could finish, an explosion rocked the side of the building. The force of it threw Clark and Kara forward, although they managed to maintain their balance.

"What was that?" Kara exclaimed. "This doesn't look good, Kal-El."

Screams rent the air and Clark grabbed Kara's hand. Wherever they might be, people were in trouble. He and Kara were needed.

Running at human speed toward the sound of the blast, Clark was stopped when Kara planted her feet in the hallway, keeping a tight grip on his hand. Clark turned toward her in shock. What was she doing?

"Kara, people need our help-"

"We're not supposed to be here," she told him solemnly, her gazed tinged with fear. "We have to leave. This isn't right. I wasn't thinking clearly when you grabbed my hand." She leaned forward to emphasize, "I need to use the ring again if we're going to help Lois."

Lois' name made Clark pause. He wanted to go with her, needed to be with her … but his body was fighting to respond to the sounds of screaming, punctuated by more explosions in the distance. Whatever was going on, it sounded like a war zone.

"Kara, couldn't we-"

"No, Kal-El!" Kara seemed almost panicked now. "The more we see of the future, the worse we could make it, and if we interfere …" Her voice trailed away meaningfully.

While Clark considered her words another blast shook them both.

"It could get worse?" Clark commented, looking around at the damage. "Come on, Kara. Just for a few minutes … we can't leave things like this."

He pulled her along again, listening for the loudest screaming, which seemed to be coming from the waiting room. Before they could reach it, Kara pulled on his arm again, bringing him to a halt a couple of feet from the intersecting hallway. Putting her finger to her lips, she pulled him forward slowly and looked around the corner.

Her gasp brought him forward but Kara turned, trying to block his view and push him back at the same time. "We need to get out of here," she whispered.

It was then that Clark saw the red of the sky, not like a sunset, but a more permanent tint that seemed to color everything. For a minute he felt weak and disoriented, like he didn't have his abilities … and then he saw her.

Lois was with a group of people crowded into the waiting room. She looked alert and relatively unharmed. Hungrily his eyes searched her face, noting that she didn't look any older, only her hair was darker. If they were in the future, it was the near future …

Her voice carried as Kara tried to push Clark away. "What makes you think you have the right to herd us in here like cattle?" Lois demanded.

Clark's breath caught at the sound - so angry and yet so alive. He felt something stir deep inside, an emotion that had desperately tried to numb in the past few days.

"What right?" a woman scoffed. "We have the right of superiority. As a General's daughter, you should understand that, _Ms. Lane_."

Lois covered her surprise quickly, but not fast enough. The woman smiled. "Oh, yes, we know everything about you," the woman told Lois, something in her stance familiar to Clark. He tried to look past Kara but she was still pushing at him.

"Kara, who are those people?" Clark whispered the question. He'd seen recognition in her eyes. In response, Kara shook her head and continued to pull at him, her eyes begging him to back away.

"How is that possible?" Lois responded, standing tall, seemingly unfazed by the woman's superior attitude. "You Kryptonians just got here!"

Clark started, his confused expression traveling from Lois to Kara and back again. For a minute he pulled himself back to ask Kara what was going on and his eyes spotted the calendar hanging on the wall in the nurses' station behind her. It was May of 2010, only a year and half into the future. How could things have come to this so quickly?

Before he could ask Kara, before he could say anything, their leader appeared. There was no question by his bearing and clothing that this man was the leader. Trailing behind were two more men in military apparel, dragging a prisoner between them.

Clark's breath seemed to catch in his chest.

The figure who was hanging on the two soldiers looked familiar, but Clark couldn't see the prisoner's face because his head was down. He was dressed all in black, in a ripped t-shirt, jeans and boots. As soon as Lois saw him, she gasped. The prisoner slowly lifted his head and Clark felt his stomach drop. It churned as if he were going to be sick and his head spun. There was a reason the prisoner looked so familiar …

"Clark?" Lois whispered softly.

The prisoner looked straight ahead without flinching. "Clark Kent is dead," he said, with a voice as emotionless as the blank expression on his bruised and battered face.

That one remark, so cold and unaffected, seemed to push Lois to the breaking point. Clark had never seen her so devastated. Without thinking he moved forward – what he planned to do wasn't clear – but he needed to wipe the defeat from her face and comfort her somehow.

Kara tightened her grip, hissing at him. "You can't. If you run into yourself here, you could destroy the very fabric of time."

Clark stopped, holding himself back with difficulty, especially when the leader spoke. "I'm sorry Ms. Lane," he said with mock sympathy. "Let me introduce your precious Blur. Turns out he is one of us," he waved his arm in the prisoner's direction.

For a minute, Clark thought Lois looked surprised by the information – and he wondered at it – before she schooled her features. "He's nothing like you, _General Zod_," Lois spit out angrily, crossing her arms beneath her chest. Her look told him the Kryptonians weren't the only ones with inside information.

At the name of their leader, Clark felt his heart twist. How had Zod returned to Earth and who was his host this time? The man didn't look familiar. Was this what the future held?

Clark's mind was reeling.

"Of course not," the General told her, reaching out to kick the prisoner's legs out from beneath him. "He is nothing … not worthy of being Kryptonian. He could never defeat us after being raised by _humans_." Zod spit out the word as Lois ran to Clark and put her arms around him. Clark heard his prisoner self grunt in pain.

"God, Clark, why did you leave me … I mean, why did you leave us?" Lois asked, tears starting to fall down her face. She brushed his hair back softly. "You didn't have to face them on your own; turn your back on everyone …" Just then, Lois lifted her eyes and Clark saw the recognition in hers as she looked down the hall.

For a full minute their eyes met and Clark could feel the pull, the connectionthat he'd missed so desperately when she was unconscious.

_My destiny is to love you._

Pulling his eyes away, he glanced at himself in her arms. This future Clark wasn't responding to her embrace and Clark marveled at it. Right now, if he was in her arms, he'd be reacting and fiercely. One thought lead to another and suddenly, Clark knew what had happened. He'd embraced the numbness that he'd been experiencing for the past few days and had buried his emotions … then he'd turned his back on Lois and allowed this future to take hold.

His eyes sought hers out again.

_You need me, Smallville._

The words didn't have to be said. They were in the hazel depths of her eyes. They were written in the blankness of the expression of the man she was holding. Something important had been lost in this future - Clark's emotional side - and now humanity was paying the price.

Heart racing, pulse pounding in reaction, Clark barely felt it as he was pulled back into the adjacent hallway. Kara was talking to him but he couldn't hear the words. All he could see were Lois' pain-filled eyes, all he could feel was this pull to her … this _need_. Vaguely he realized Kara was leading him quickly down the hall and, this time, he let himself be taken.

In the distance he could hear shouts and he wondered if they'd been spotted. Quickly, Kara pulled him into one of the empty rooms and shut the door. Grabbing Clark's hand she looked at him strangely before activating the ring. With a start he realized that he was in pain, sweating and nauseous. It was as if he'd been exposed to Kryptonite … or to his nightmare.

For a second he considered the cause and wondered if it was seeing himself or seeing the future itself that was making him sick. Then all of it disappeared in a flash of white.

_**Legion, 3011**_

Again, Clark found himself standing in a sterile white room similar to the hospital room they'd just vacated. As soon as he could make out the surroundings, his vision blurred and he stumbled, almost losing his footing. It was Kara who supported him.

"What happened?" Clark could hear Rokk's voice but he couldn't answer through the pain, nausea, and sweating.

Kara simply told him that she'd made a mistake that had taken them ahead only a couple of years. During her explanation he realized that another arm was supporting him in addition to Kara's. He followed where they led and sat down.

"Why is he sick?" Clark heard Kara asked Rokk quietly. "Time travel never affected me that way?"

"Did you run into … anyone in particular?"

"Yes," Kara told him. "I'm sorry, but he wanted to help and he ran into Lois and himself … his future self."

"There wasn't contact, was there?" Rokk demanded anxiously.

"No, I warned him about ruining time-"

"Still, it's disorienting to see versions of yourself in the future. Some are affected more than others …" His voice trailed off as he became all business.

"You ready, Garth?"

"Yes, the devices are ready and the two of them prepared."

Clark grabbed Kara's arm, thinking about Rokk's words. "Was that … what we saw … was that real?"

"The future is always changing, Kal-El," Kara told him. "That is the future based on the way things might happen from now on out. I don't know if it will be..."

Clark was feeling too sick to respond. Leaning his head back, he concentrated on listening instead and tried to shut out the nausea.

"What's going on?" Kara asked.

"We have to remove the protections," Garth responded. "We're going to return the memories to their … uhm, rightful owner and withdraw Brainiac from there."

Kara's voice was stunned. "Is that …?"

"Yeah … freaky, huh?" Garth commented.

Kara's silence frightened Clark more than anything and so he opened his eyes, directing them automatically to the woman on the table.

Lois's face seemed distinct and no longer fuzzy around the edges, so Clark took a deep breath. His vision was clear. Cautiously, he stood and looked around, noting the presence of another bed and another …

_No, it couldn't be_.

God, it looked just like Lois, except her hair was dark and short. Mechanically, Clark moved forward on shaky legs, his eyes darting between the two women. As he got closer, he could see that the other Lois was older and then his breath caught at the scars on her neck.

Visions of the past months played out in his mind … a nervous Lois reaching up absentmindedly to rub her neck. He remembered after a few weeks taking her hand in his, recognizing the mannerism as one that meant Lois was stressed. Once her hand was in his, it seemed so natural to rub his thumb across the palm, to feel the thrill of touching her while, at the same time, calming her with his touch.

Without warning, Clark was hit with another wave of pain, nausea and sweating. Automatically he reached out for Kara but his vision blurred and he missed her shoulder, falling forward on his knees. A quick vision of the scars on Lois's neck appeared in his mind and he wondered what had happened to her.

Now there were two of them. What did that mean?

That was his last thought before he lost consciousness.

When Clark came to, he was seated again, and he could hear the others talking about the procedure. He must not have been out for long.

He blinked and realized his vision was still burry. He closed his eyes and the conversation around him became clearer.

"The particles are electro-magnetic," Rokk was explaining. "I think Garth can neutralize the electricity while I extract the Nanites. Imra will monitor both women to make sure we're not doing any damage."

After a few seconds of nothing but electronic noise, Rokk spoke, "Let's do this."

"Hey, Lois … and Lois," Garth said, and Clark instinctively knew that Lois would like this kid. "No more Reasoning Interval Repeating Cylinder, you'll be happy to know. We've modified the ring so it does all the work now."

"Get in position. Brainiac is taking over," Imra directed the two men urgently, and Clark tried to open his eyes.

The white light forced them closed again.

After only a few minutes, Imra announced, "It's done."

Then there was the sound and feel of electricity in the air. Clark opened his eyes in time to see Garth's hands drop to his sides, Rokk's hands extend over the older Lois, and gray particles separate themselves from her to float above her. When Imra nodded to him, Rokk used his hands and, without touching the particles, shaped them into a ball about the size of a baseball.

"It worked. We've removed Brainiac," Imra told them with a relieved sigh. Taking the metal from Rokk, she placed it in a clear plastic container. "Now we need to wait."

"Why?" Clark croaked impatiently from the sidelines. He'd been waiting for a week for Lois to wake up. He was tired of waiting.

Four sets of eyes looked over as if they'd forgotten he was there. It was Rokk who answered. "We've come a long way in the fields of science and medicine but we still don't know everything about the human brain, Kal-El," he said calmly. "This procedure removed Brainiac but we don't know what damage could have been done …"

While Clark processed what that might mean, he turned wide eyes to Kara, who seemed to recognize his fears. "She will wake up, Kal-El."

Garth looked at Clark and then back at both Lois' with a grin on his face. "They both will."

_**Legion, same day**_

Clark sat in the sterile white room, so similar to the one in 2008, and waited for his Lois to regain consciousness.

Despite what Kara said, Clark was worried. Sure, the Legion seemed certain but what if she didn't wake up? What if something else happened? She was having episodes before Brainiac infected her.

Clark rested his arms on his knees and felt his legs bounce uncontrollably. Kara had finally left him to wait, promising to return later. She was working on something with the League but she couldn't – or wouldn't – say what. He had overheard the words "night" and "alive" but that was all.

His mind wandered from Kara back to Lois. When she did wake up, what would she say? Would she still be angry?

What should he say?

Abruptly he stood and saw her eyes start to flutter. In an instant he was by her side, taking her hand in his, so relieved to see her moving that he didn't care who said what.

Unexpected tears filled his eyes when he saw her open hers.

"Lois?" His voice sounded scratchy and so he cleared it, blinking away the moisture from his eyes. "Lois, can you hear me?"

Her voice was weak. "Smallville?"

"I'm here," he told her, watching as her eyes tried to focus. It took a couple of seconds before they rested on his face.

"Where am I?"

"Hospital," Clark told her, not wanting to go into great detail at the moment. There would be time to talk about time travel and other oddities later. He was really looking forward to a full explanation …

She breathed out with a little chuckle. "Of course."

At the sound of her laugh, Clark thought his heart would burst. Randomly, his mind wondered if one of her smiles would kill him. He grinned at the thought and noticed how strange the expression felt. It had been over a week since he'd grinned like that.

Before he could say anything else, she looked around and tried to sit up. "What are you doing here?" Lois asked him and he could see her getting worked up. "And where have you been for the last month. I was worried-"

Breaking off abruptly, her gaze landed on her hand in his own. Very slowly she tried to pull her hand away, gasping under her breath when he refused to release it. Her eyes slammed into his and he could see the confusion.

"Clark, what … where have you been?"

"I've been right here, the whole time … with you," Clark told her, growing confused when she continued to subtly pull at her hand.

"No, I mean …" She shook her head lightly. "You've been gone for over a month now." Her other hand rose to her mouth and Clark found his eyes focused there. He watched as her eyes grew wide and another gasp escaped her lips. "God, I've got to get out of here," she told him suddenly, trying to move her legs from the bed.

"Lois, no … what are you doing?" Gently Clark pushed her legs back on the bed. "You just regained consciousness. You can't leave," he told her firmly, feeling his brows gather with his confusion.

"Clark, I have to find Chloe," she told him. "She's been missing – longer than you have, actually." For a minute he could see the hurt in her eyes but then it was replaced with anger. "Just like that damn Lex to have her arrested and then disappear …"

Her brows gathered over her nose in concentration. "I'm close to finding her. I know it," she continued. "She's at some facility-"

Clark felt his stomach drop to his feet as he processed her words.

"Lois," he interrupted, waiting until her eyes met his. "What month is it?"

"What?" she sputtered. "Clark, now is not the time for twenty questions," she told him exasperatedly. When he didn't respond, just continued to watch her, she huffed. "Fine, it's June 2008, okay? Now, did I pass the test?"

Clark could only stare at her, his stomach at his feet and his heart in his throat.

_**Legion, one hour later**_

Clark was still waiting for Lois to wake up but, this time it was a different Lois in a very different room, more of an apartment really, decorated in yellows, blues and reds.

Normally, he'd appreciate the color choices but right now he was too worked up to enjoy them. He paced around the room wanting answers, needing answers …

He'd left his Lois after Imra administered a sedative. They did not want Lois wandering the halls. Right now the Legion was working to return her to a time immediately following their departure from the hospital. Everyone agreed that things should be kept normal for Lois … no mention of anything she didn't remember, at least not right now.

Clark clenched his fists in frustration. When the woman stirred, he stopped, focusing his eyes on her face.

Her hazel eyes found Clark's and he saw the recognition in them along with a hint of fear. As she studied him, the fear was replaced by warmth, turning her eyes more brown than green. Clark looked away. He didn't deserve the welcome in her gaze.

_You need me, Smallville._

Had those words come from this Lois or the other one?

His hands ran through his hair at the thought. The concept was too confusing for him right now. What mattered was that this Lois was the one who sent her thoughts, or memories, back in time. Now he needed to know why.

From his peripheral vision he could see Lois push herself up on the bed and looked around. Her voice, when she spoke, sounded like it hadn't been used in while. "Well, at least they had enough sense to put me in a decent room this time."

Clark's smile was forced but she returned it.

Memories flooded him and, for a minute, he was speechless. This wasn't his Lois and yet it was. His mind was overwhelmed with memories of the past six months and he almost reached out to her. At the last minute he stopped, pushing aside everything but his questions. He needed to focus.

His hands found their way to his pockets and he felt himself rock on his heels.

This older Lois' sharp gaze took it all in. "All right, Smallville, spill-" she said her smile turning insightful. "What has your boxers in a bunch?"

Clark shook his head and looked away from her penetrating gaze.

She gasped and he turned to see her panicked face. "Did something happen … to her? God, we didn't lose my younger self, did we?" When Clark shook his head in the negative, Lois leaned back against the headboard in relief. Then she rolled her eyes at him and muttered, "Great, I'm talking about myself in the third person. This time travel stuff is really messed up …"

Clark couldn't stop the smile that played around his lips at her words. Lois was the same in any time, it seemed. He watched as she tried to get comfortable and knew instinctively that she was waiting for him to make the next move.

Her expression didn't change and so Clark let his eyes wander. "Nice room," he remarked.

Lois shrugged, her expression noncommittal, and waited. Evidently Lois from the future was more patient than the one from the past.

Clark sighed. She really knew him too well. "It's just that she doesn't remember …" Clark said, his eyes making their way back to her face. "Why did you send your memories back?"

To his surprise she smiled. "You know I can't answer that."

Reflexively, he rocked back on his heels. "I don't need to know what the memories were," he told her earnestly. "I just need to know your reason for sending them back." He tried to match her calm tone but he could hear the urgency in his own voice.

"Why?" she asked.

Clark looked at this older version of Lois and repeated himself. "_She_ doesn't remember the past six months."

Clark could almost see the wheels turning as Lois considered his words. Finally when he was ready to expound on the problem, she spoke. "Well, that's not really life-threatening, is it?"

Another move back onto his heels and he responded, "Well, no but she doesn't remember what happened-"

"But you do," Lois interrupted. "Right?"

"Sure, but how does that help?"

Lois blew her bangs out her eyes in frustration. "Clark, I can't tell you about the future, but I can tell you I sent my memories back for a really good reason." Lois paused and her look told Clark she was trying to choose her words carefully. "Obviously, things have changed; otherwise you wouldn't be here and I wouldn't be here," she waved her hand in the air between them. "Your Lois' actions will continue to have repercussions whether she remembers them or not …as long as others do."

When her eyes locked onto his, Clark could swear that she was looking directly into his heart. "Make sure you remember and everything will be all right."

Clark nodded reflexively but inside he was an emotional wreck. Nothing was going to be all right; Lois didn't remember, and if Lois didn't remember what had happened in the past six months, then she didn't remember _them. _

_If she didn't remember them_ …

Oh, God; he was going to be sick.

Back on the heels he went, feeling his jaw clench in response.

"Clark!" Lois said sharply, and he found himself focusing on hazel eyes snapping with irritation.

"Make sure you remember and that'll be enough," she said firmly as she searched his eyes. Again, it was as if she'd looked right into his heart. Her features softened, "Besides, I can tell you that even now, without the memories, she cares for you."

At Clark's surprised look, she smiled softly. "She needs you, too, Smallville."

An hour later, those words were still ringing in Clark's ears. While the Legion worked with his Lois, he'd stayed with the one from the future, making sure she could get around by herself, eating a light meal with her while she complained about the food, and staying in contact with the Legion kids by way of the intercom. Finally, Lois from the future had accused him of hovering and thrown him out.

Now, he wasn't sure what he was waiting for. He was sure he'd gotten all the information from her that he was going to.

Still, there was something nagging at him … a feeling that he wasn't finished here. There was more to see and more to learn from this future Lois.

Movement down the hall caught his attention and Clark ducked into one of the nearby alcoves to watch. The figure of a man, walking very slowly and dressed all in black, came into view. When he was halfway down the hall, Clark felt the earlier pain, dizziness and nausea return. He realized why the figure looked so familiar …

It was another version of himself.

As this one walked closer Clark could see that he was completely different from the Clark he'd seen at the hospital earlier. This Clark was thin, almost gaunt, and his skin had a sallow tint to it. His movements were slow and halting and, when he hesitated at Lois' door, Clark could see his features clearly for the first time. What he saw in them almost dropped him to his knees.

Emotions blazed from the blue depths of his eyes - pain, fear, guilt, rage and sorrow - powerful emotions radiating off of him, almost too much for one man to handle. Clark could barely stand to see it all and he wondered how this version of himself managed not to erupt.

His future self knocked on the door.

By the time it flew open, Lois was mid-sentence, "… nothing more I can tell you-"

Her words ended abruptly when she saw who was standing on the other side.

From his vantage point Clark could see that Lois was as close to breaking down as he'd ever seen. Just as when he was in the hospital in 2010, he wanted to go to her. He moved forward until her words stopped him.

"No; it's not possible!" When Lois took a step back, Clark took another step forward. His future self didn't move. Clark was shocked, and took a step back, when Lois launched herself at future Clark, raging against him, beating against his chest and arms.

"Damn you … how did you get here … what … I thought you were dead … God, I was the one … I killed you … you bastard … how could you …"

On and on it went until she was spent, holding onto the front of the black shirt with tears streaming down her face.

Through it all future Clark remained unmoving, his face revealing a myriad of emotions in rapid succession … guilt, sorrow, hurt, and fear.

When he spoke, his voice was rusty and filled with pain. "You … you didn't kill me, Lois," he said, searching for eyes that had darted up in surprise with his first word. "You. Saved. Me."

Future Lois was able to release a gasp before Clark's future self crushed her against his chest and almost devoured her lips with his. In seconds she was kissing him back just as desperately. Clark continued to watch through his embarrassment. As they pulled apart he knew that this was what he needed to see … future Lois in the arms of his future self, the wonder and joy on her face taking his breath, while the expression of peace on the face of his counterpart was one that he hadn't seen since he first spotted the man walking down the hall.

As Lois started to pull this more peaceful version of himself into the apartment her gaze traveled to Clark, her eyes widening when she spotted him standing in the alcove.

Just like in the hospital, his mind searched the past few days and he was filled with an understanding of what had happened. He glanced at the Clark in her arms and knew that in her future - the one she had saved them from - he'd let his feelings take over and, somehow, his emotional decisions had lead him away from her to something dark and dangerous.

_You need me, Smallville._

Again, he didn't need to hear the words. They were in the hazel depths of her eyes. They were written in the expression of the man she was holding. This time, however, he could see something else, something more, just as clearly.

_She needs you, too._

_**Daily Planet, December 29, 2008**_

Forget the roller coaster … Clark was going round and round on his own emotional carousel from hell.

Lois Lane, the object of his affections - the object of his desires - was sitting across from him completely oblivious to his feelings.

His eyes drank her in, from the dark brown of her hair to the teeth chewing on the end of her pencil, to the green blouse that brought out the green in her eyes, and below the desk to her long legs, currently encased in black pants, down further to the high-heeled boots on her feet. Everything about her was beautiful to him and he _wanted_ her.

More than that, he _needed_ her …

If he was going to have a future, any kind of future, he had to tell her how he felt. He was desperate to tell her everything. And so he was circling around the idea of doing just that.

_What you told me – that was a gift, Clark, __**your**__ gift._

The problem was that it was too soon.

And he cared too much to dump everything on her all at once.

Slowly … he needed to work slowly … and so the carousel went round again.

She was still adjusting to losing her memories from the past six months, and there had been a lot to take in. First, there was Chloe's wedding. Lois had been shocked, to say the least, by the fact that her cousin was engaged, and to Jimmy Olsen of all people. At least she didn't have to scramble to plan the ceremony. By mutual agreement, Chloe and Jimmy had decided to postpone their nuptials until the spring.

Then, there was school. Although Lois had been surprised to find herself back in school, she'd taken to her online class with great enthusiasm … more enthusiasm that she'd shown for living at the farm. Even with Kara there, Lois kept dropping hints about getting her own place. It was making Clark crazy.

Work was another issue. Lois had been surprised to find herself working across from Clark and she'd made her thoughts known about it in pretty short order.

"_Good grief, Smallville, we're practically on top of each other … when do we each get some personal space?"_

_With his gut clenching, Clark forced out a chuckle and leaned back in his chair. "We're friends, Lois. We like spending time together."_

"_Right," she drawled out, giving him one of her insightful looks as she suddenly leaned forward on her desk. "Clark, is there something I should know? Maybe something from the past six months …?" _

"_Uhm … nothing important, Lois," Clark told her calmly._

_Her eyes stayed locked on his and, for a minute, he was sure she wasn't going to let it go, but then Jimmy interrupted._

"_Lois … hey!" The photographer was out of breath. "Here are those photos of the Blur you asked me for …"_

_Lois snatched them from Jimmy's hands and Clark knew he'd lost her. He sighed, confused and frustrated by the fact that their relationship wasn't the only thing Lois had forgotten. Now he needed to make the decision all over again – how to handle the Blur?_

_The entire thing was complicated by the fact that, while Lois seemed to want to keep her distance from Clark, she wanted to get closer to Metropolis' new hero. _

Clark took his eyes off Lois and shook his head, trying to focus on his own work. He had a meeting … soon. Grabbing his jacket from the back of the chair, Clark shot up and caught Lois staring contemplatively in his direction. He paused for a minute and watched as her face flushed.

"Is there a fire?" Lois asked sarcastically, making Clark question whether he'd really seen the contemplative warmth in her gaze.

"No, I have a meeting with J'onn," he told her as he walked by. "I'm late."

Lois stopped him with a hand on his arm. The heat from her hand moved down his arm to the rest of his body, rooting him to place. For a second, they both seemed fixated on the sight of her hand on his arm. "Uhm … tell your favorite source I said 'hi.'"

Clark grinned, relishing the feel of her hand. "You're not going to steal him away from me with your charm, Lane."

Lois raised her brow in challenge, "You sure about that? I hear I'm pretty charming." To Clark's surprise she moved her hand slowly up and down his arm.

He sighed and stepped away with a tight smile. "Uhm, I'll be sure to let him know," Clark said, turning away when he saw the confusion in her eyes. He knew she didn't understand how much she affected him, how much he wanted to pull her out the chair and take her somewhere private so he could tell her ...

_Slowly. _

An hour later, Clark could swear he was still feeling Lois' hand on his arm. He strolled into the Bullpen and looked around while straightening his tie. She wasn't at her desk and his super hearing didn't pick up the sound of her voice.

Taking off his jacket, he placed it on the back of his chair and thought about the end of his conversation with his "source."

"_I'll be careful," he said, considering J'onn's warning about this new group of vigilante cops. "Oh, by the way, Lois says 'hi,'" Clark told him, handing back the papers._

"_How is she?" J'onn asked, a somewhat wistful look on his face._

"_She's healthy," Clark told him, hesitating at the end. "She's doing well."_

"_So, she still doesn't remember …?" _

"_No; nothing from the past six months," Clark looked closely at his friend. "Or from the future."_

_J'onn's sharp gaze said it all. Then he smiled ruefully at his own reaction._

"_You know, don't you?" Clark asked. "You've seen the future?"_

"_I don't know anything more than you know, Kal-El," J'onn said carefully._

_Frustrated, Clark ran a hand through his hair. "Why does everyone keep telling me that? I don't know anything."_

"_So, you don't know how much you need her?" J'onn's look was disbelieving._

_The surprise was clear on Clark's face._

"_That's what the future tells us, Kal-E," he said with a small smile. "Remember that and everything will be okay."_

The words triggered something in Clark's memory of the future.

_Make sure you remember and that'll be enough._

Lois' voice echoed in his head as he sat down and looked at his notes.

It was a few minutes later when Clark heard his Lois talking from across the Bullpen. She was walking briskly back to her desk with her phone to her ear. Clark didn't need to use super hearing to hear her side of the conversation. His head shot up and, when he heard who was on the other end, he felt his teeth grind together.

It was Lois' new "friend"- one that had visited her constantly in the hospital and wasn't afraid to make his interest known.

"Davis … wait," Lois chuckled. "I didn't say I could go …"

She paused to listen.

"I don't know," Lois said, biting her bottom lip. "I really have a lot of school work to catch up on …" Clark could see her considering the offer.

"What time on New Year's Eve?" There was another pause.

"Hmm, I would like to …" Her voice was warm and considerate.

Lois' words rang in his ears and Clark remembered that cold night after Thanksgiving. He'd rescued a young woman from a particularly brutal attack and taken her to the hospital. As he was leaving by the way of the alley, he'd heard Lois' voice.

"_Don't worry," she said, her voice sounding unusually husky and warm. "I think you have the magic touch."_

_Clark stopped and looked to see her sitting at the back of the ambulance with Davis standing across from her and a little to close for Clark's comfort. At her words, Davis' hand squeezed her shoulder and Clark watched as he leaned forward and said softly, "What is it about the Lane/Sullivan women?" _

_Frozen in place by the scene playing out in front of him, Clark could only watch while with his mind screamed at Lois to pull away and his heart screamed, "No!" Still, he did nothing, and for his hesitancy he was punished by having to watch another man kiss the woman he loved … _

At the memory - at the thought of history repeating itself - something in Clark snapped.

Pushing his chair back, moving at almost super speed, he stepped over to Lois and grabbed her phone. "She'll have to get back to you," he told Davis, eyes burning into hers.

"I need to talk to you," he told her quietly, watching her eyes widen at his intense expression. "Uhm, something's come up."

Her eyes narrowed before she snatched her phone from his hand. "I'm sorry, Davis, looks like this is important. I'll call you later …"

Before Lois could disconnect, Clark was leading her around their co-workers and into the copy room. When he allowed her to enter first, he heard her mutter, "Was that really necessary?" She snapped the phone closed and turned to face him.

Clark winced, his thoughts churning. What was he doing? What was he going to say?

Luckily, Lois didn't wait for him to say anything. "What was that all about?" She waved her arms toward the Bullpen. "This better be good, Clark, because I was ready to … I mean, that was personal and important … Davis asked me-"

The more she rambled, the more frightened Clark became.

He sighed. He was just so sick of being afraid. When he started this job, he was scared of failing; when he started helping people here in the city, he was scared of being caught; and when Lois started showing an interest in him, he was scared of losing her friendship. He'd persevered, though, and now he almost had the life he wanted … all that was missing was Lois.

He watched as she continued to rant, her eyes bright and her body energetic.

…_you need her._

Last time he'd waited too long before telling her …

"I mean, couldn't you pick another – umph."

Without a word, Clark reached out, grabbed her shoulders and put his lips to hers, ending her tirade and finally, finally calming his own fears.

At just the touch of her lips on his Clark felt achingly alive and confident in a way he hadn't in weeks. Desperate to taste her, he touched his tongue to hers and felt the fire. It was always this way.

_Make sure you remember and that'll be enough._

He was flooded with memories … the surprise kiss in the Bullpen that absolutely set him on fire, capturing her lips with his at the engagement party, her passionate response when he kissed her in the kitchen, and the complete love and acceptance he felt from her kiss in the Fortress.

He ached for that love and acceptance now.

As his mind reveled in the past, his kiss changed from slow and soft to desperate. He deepened it, needing to feel her response, her acceptance.

When she stiffened instead, his fear returned. What if she didn't feel the same way anymore?

Even if she didn't remember, Clark knew that this - the passion they shared - was always there. Not ready to accept defeat, he eased the pressure of his mouth on hers. Slowly, sensually, he slid his lips against hers, eventually taking her luscious lower lip into his mouth and moving his tongue against it. Searching his memory, he sucked on her bottom lip just a little and heard her whimper.

That was all it took. She pulled herself against him and started to kiss him back. At the feel of her enthusiastic response, his heart hammered in his chest. Her passion was everything he remembered … and more. Again and again, her mouth slanted over his and his over hers. He couldn't get enough. His body started humming.

Just when he was thinking they would need air, Jerry barged in, complaining about having to make not only everyone else's coffee but everyone else's copies as well, and stopped dead in his tracks.

"Oops," he commented as they jumped away from one another.

Clark couldn't react; he could only stare at Lois' shocked expression. He watched as she raised her fingers to her lips and touched them tentatively. For a second he thought he saw a spark of awareness in her wide eyes before she ran out of the room, shoving Jerry out of her way.

"Gonna have your hands full with that one, Kent," Jerry commented.

Pushing past his co-worker, Clark stopped at the door, eyes following Lois as she sped to her desk, took her purse out of the drawer, and grabbed her coat. She was running to the elevator before he knew it.

She was leaving in a panic.

Clark stood tall, her reaction having erased some of his fears. At least she'd responded to him … and it had been better than he expected.

_**Kent Farm, next night**_

The Christmas lights were still twinkling inside when Clark blurred up to the farmhouse and stopped outside the kitchen door. The lights looked warm and welcoming but he wasn't sure about the woman inside.

Only one thing was certain … she'd been avoiding him at work today. Every time Clark tried to talk to her, she'd run away, muttering about meeting with some sources.

Now, it was Clark who was on edge. He'd been so sure that their kiss would have opened some doors, at least started a conversation. How could he have forgotten how good Lois was at avoiding anything resembling intimacy?

_Because she wanted you before_.

Clark stood at the door with his hand on the knob as the brutal truth hit him. The shoe was on the other foot now. He'd missed his chance before. Now he was going to have to step up to the plate and be honest with her … about everything.

Before he could wrap his head around what that might mean, before he could really think it through, his feet were carrying him away from the house and into to the barn.

Pacing along the dirt floor, he thought about all of the mistakes he'd made in the past six months. He took a deep breath, "I'm the Blur," he mouthed into the cold night air. Shaking his head, he turned to the tractor and stopped, hit by the memory of an earlier reveal.

"_Well, yeah … okay, but the point is I know you-" Lois was pacing back and forth in agitation._

"_Do you?" Clark asked, suddenly focusing on the towel in his hands, terrified about what she'd seen, frustrated with keeping his secrets, with lying to the people he … loved?_

"_Of course I do …" Lois told him, her voice so decisive that he almost smiled. "Smallville, what is this about?" _

"_Me, Lois," Clark responded, unable to look at her. "You saw what I am … what I can do ... what I've hidden from you …" _

_I love you._

"I love you," he whispered, the memory of another missed opportunity almost bringing him to his knees. Automatically, he picked up his work gloves and wrench, his body needing an outlet for his frustration. He raised the hood of the tractor and bent down, looking for the ever-present problem.

"Hey, Smallville," Lois greeted from the barn door. "Little late for chores, isn't it?"

Clark felt his body stiffen at the sound of her voice. It was too soon. He wasn't ready, memories of their earlier encounter too close to the surface. He cleared his throat and studied the engine. "Just working on the tractor."

"Okay … well, it's pretty cold out here," she paused and he could hear the hesitancy in her voice. "I thought you might want some hot chocolate."

She passed behind him with a whisper of noise and he was hit with the smell of her leather jacket and shampoo as she placed the hot drink on the work table. His eyes closed at her familiar scent.

"Thanks, Lois," he told her, plastering a smile to his face as he turned to look at her. He knew what it meant - her way of opening the lines of communication - and he opened his mouth, prepared to talk.

What he wasn't prepared for was the effect of the cold night air on her face, giving her cheeks a glow and her eyes a brightness that took his breath and forced his mouth closed. The effect of her beauty was like a punch in the gut and Clark swallowed, hard. Before he could say anything he was flooded with memories … Lois with her face flushed from the cold of the freezer as she pulled out her ice cream, her eyes cursing him because she couldn't speak. He saw her face flushed with excitement as she raved about the Blur in that same kitchen and the brightness of her eyes when she was revealing her destiny in the Fortress …

His expression must have looked dazed because Lois was snapping her fingers at him when his mind cleared. "Earth to Clark," she repeated, tilting her head to the side when she caught his eyes. "You zoned out there for a minute … you okay?"

Feeling flushed himself, Clark took a deep breath. "Lois, remember when you asked me if there was anything you should know about the past six months … anything I should tell you?"

"Yeah," she said hesitantly, searching his face.

Clark paused, the panic closing off his throat … what if she rejected him this time? What if she couldn't handle his alter ego? What if …

"Lana just called," Lois blurted out, looking almost as surprised by her comment as Clark felt. "I, uhm, told her I'd give you the message."

His eyes widened. "Lana?"

"Yes, she wanted to talk to you," Lois told him, her hazel eyes turning speculative.

"Really?" he responded, fighting to keep his voice casual. He was as confused by Lana's call as Lois was, but he could see that Lois was looking for a reaction, and he didn't need to blow it when he was so close-

"She said she wanted to say goodbye," Lois told him and the skepticism in her words interrupted his thoughts. "You didn't tell me she was leaving town …"

Clark shrugged and nodded. "She's moving to Paris, I believe."

"You believe?" Lois asked, her eyes flashing.

"Where she goes is not really my concern," he responded, sighing to himself at the doubt he heard in her voice, not that he could blame her. He'd waited too long to make his choice last time.

He straightened as he remembered the one thing he'd done right since Lois regained consciousness. Only a few days later, Clark had taken the time to meet with his former girlfriend. He was pretty sure she'd seen it coming, but then he'd never been able to read her very well. By the time they were done, she'd made it sound like she was leaving him. He didn't care, just as long as she understood it was over.

He had his closure.

Lois' low gasp drew him out of his thoughts.

"So, she really is leaving?" She asked, her eyes studying his confident posture and his expression as if she could read the answers in them. "And the two of you …?"

"We're not together, Lois," Clark told her earnestly. "And haven't been since she came back …"

Lois nodded, her eyes darting away. "That's what everyone said-"

"But you didn't believe them," Clark interrupted, looking at her with a small smile.

She shook her head in the negative, shrugging her shoulders. "You've got to admit, Smallville, based on your past actions …" Her voice trailed away meaningfully.

"I know … I know," Clark said, holding up his hands. When she grew silent, he shoved them into his jeans, frustrated with the entire conversation. He didn't want to think about Lana, what he really wanted was to grab the woman in front of him and-

Lois shivered. "It's getting cold out here. I'm … I'm going to head back in," she told Clark, her hand pointing back to the warmly-lit farm house. "A slice of Mrs. K's apple pie is calling my name," she added with a smile before starting out of the barn.

When she walked by, Clark held out a hand to stop her. "Lois-"

"Seriously, Smallville," she interrupted, wrapping her arms around herself as she shuddered. "It's freezing out here. Can't we talk in the nice, warm kitchen?" She smiled to soften the sting of her words, and Clark nodded.

Putting away his gloves and picking up his hot chocolate, he followed her into the house, setting his drink on the counter before pulling off his boots and hanging up his jacket just inside the door.

"Lois," he said, closing his eyes before turning around to look for her. "There's something I need to tell you …"

She was already at the counter, reaching for the apple pie, a lustful look in her eyes.

"Lois!"

"What!" She shouted back, jumping guiltily. "No need to shout, Smallville. I told you I wanted some pie."

Clark ran his hand through his hair in frustration. This just wasn't starting out well. Before he knew it, he was pacing.

"Look, Lois, about the past six months …"

"Uh, huh …" she commented, putting a slice on her plate before taking a big bite.

Clark sighed, "Well, you and I … we were getting, uhm, pretty close … spending a lot of time together …"

Lois swallowed her bite of pie when his voice trailed off. "Go on, Smallville."

"Well, I really didn't know what it all meant," he told her, shoving his hands into his pockets. He walked around the counter and waited for her to finish her second bite. His tone deepened with emotion. "I really missed you when you were in the hospital."

Lois dropped her fork, her eyes still focused on her plate. Placing his hands on her shoulders, wondering if she could feel them shaking, he slowly turned her around to face him.

"I realized something else, Lois," he said softly, using a hand to lift her chin when she didn't look up. "I realized I lov-"

"Don't say it, Clark," Lois interrupted, abruptly pulling away from him, her eyes darting around the room and away from him.

"What?" Clark asked, his arms automatically reaching for her and dropping when she continued moving away. "Why not?"

"Because Lana just called … because so much has happened … because everything has changed," she told him, and Clark could see the concern in her eyes when she finally looked at him.

"I don't care," he told her, grabbing her arms while fighting the urge to shake some sense into her. She looked up in surprise at the force of his tone. "It doesn't change how I feel. All that's happened has convinced me of it even more. We can't change the past, Lois …" Clark searched for the words, the ones that would make her understand. "I just know that, whatever else happens, I want you in my future."

Her eyes were wide. "Clark, I …" she started but her voice trailed off, her eyes moving away from his uncertainly.

"Look, I don't expect anything from you right now," he told her. "You've been through a lot and I understand that. Just … just think about what I've said … we can take things slow, if you want," his voice shook a little. "I don't want to make this painful …"

Her eyes returned to his and she studied his expression. After a minute, she nodded. "Love shouldn't be painful," she whispered.

Clark was so happy to get an acknowledgement from her that he smiled as she walked away. After a second, he blinked in surprise and turned to see her at the base of the stairs.

"What did you say?" He was just realizing he'd heard those words before.

She stopped in her tracks but didn't turn around and didn't look at him. In a flash he was standing next to her, facing her, not caring if he used super speed. She gasped in surprise before his gaze slammed into hers. Her eyes went wide.

Quickly, a little too quickly, she lowered her gaze, and tried to push past him, clearing her throat a little. "Nothing; that's just what I've heard-"

Before she could take a step, Clark had his arm around her waist and was pulling her close.

"I've heard that, too," he told her huskily, his voice deepening in response to what he saw in her eyes.

"Really?" Her voice was breathless but her wide eyes were daring him. She reached up and placed her hand on his chest - starting to push him away - but then her fingers curled into his shirt.

"Someone told me that in this very kitchen," he said softly, keeping his eyes on hers as he dipped his head … and stopped. He could hear her shallow breathing and the rapid beating of her heart as his mouth remained just inches away. "Do you know what I said?"

"Wh … what?"

"I agreed," Clark told her, bringing his mouth even closer to hers while he watched her eyes darken. His desire to touch her and keep touching her was so strong that he almost forgot the next words, needing to punctuate them with kisses. "Love is just … like … this."

It took a second or two but he knew the minute his words registered with Lois. She uncurled her fingers and tried to push him away, pulling her lips from his. "You did not! You didn't say anything …"

Her words trailed off when she saw his slow smile.

_Make sure you remember and that'll be enough_.

Fascinated, he watched the expressions that crossed her face, disbelief that he'd caught her, guilt that she hadn't told him, and concern about his reaction. Before he could ask her, before he could react, her eyes turned fiery. With a small cry, she jumped on him and pressed her lips to his.

_She remembers … she remembers … _

The words were playing over and over in his head, and Clark thought his heart would burst. He crushed her in his arms, and felt her fingers in his hair. His body seemed to come to life. Just like in the Fortress, he could feel her acceptance and gloried in it.

Reluctantly, he pulled away and rested his forehead against hers, trying to catch his breath, while his eyes searched each one of hers in turn. "When?"

She pulled back to study his face, her own breathing unsteady. "Yesterday," she told him, leaning forward to nibble on his jaw line.

"How?" Clark choked out, her kisses almost keeping him from his questions.

She paused for a minute, waiting until he opened his eyes. "I remembered when you kissed me."

"What, exactly, do you remember?"

Lois told him in a breathless voice, "I remember you, loving you."

"Why didn't you-"

When she placed her fingers on his lips, her smile was both teasing and sad. "I wanted to hear you say it … I just wanted, this once, to be …" her voice trailed away, followed by her eyes.

"My choice … my first choice?" Clark asked softly, understanding dawning.

She nodded uncertainly and Clark drew in a deep breath.

"You may not be my first love, Lois, but something tells me that you will be my last."

The surprise was clear in her eyes when they returned to his. With a smile, she reached up with trembling hands to touch each side of Clark's face. More green than brown, the hazel color sparkled. "Well, my destiny is to love you, and you know … and you can't fight destiny."

Nodding in agreement, Clark raised his own hand, placing it softly along her jaw, using his thumb to stroke her cheek. With the same hand he pulled her closer. He was never going to let her go.

"And I'll tell you what I should have told you at the Fortress," he responded huskily. "If this is part of my destiny, it's a part I don't want to fight."

As he pulled her in for another searing kiss, Clark accepted the truth of his own words. It may have taken six months and two glimpses of the future, but he knew what he wanted. There was only one woman for him … no matter what the future may hold.


	14. Epilogue  The Beginning of the End

**EPILOGUE ... the beginning of the end.**

_**Star City, 2011**_

Lois Lane stood on the roof of the Star City Chronicle and looked out over the city that had been her home in another life. It was good to see the city at peace, to watch people going about their lives, blissfully ignorant of any other timeline.

If only she could be so lucky. She'd sent her memories back to another version of herself in the past, had her thoughts returned to her later and then settled in the future where everything was different. She was standing here now - on this night of all nights - to see if she could get some perspective.

Had it all been worth it?

She knew that at least as to the primary goal, her mission for the Legion had been successful. The Darkness had been delayed, maybe even forestalled, because of her decision to send her memories back. In many ways the world had become a better place. She needed that reminder. It would aid her resolve to fix what had been messed up in the process.

Sighing into the gentle ocean breeze, she checked her messenger. In the dim of the night, the tiny light that powered the device stood out like a beacon.

The message sent a chill up her spine.

Looking to the sky, she gripped the device a little tighter, and waited for the same man.

_No, not the same man_.

Her mind violently rejected the idea. Clark wasn't Night any longer. The Legion had rescued him from this very rooftop and freed him from the Darkness. Not that he was the same naïve farm boy she'd known. The pain and shame of having succumbed to the Darkness was always with him and it stripped him raw, made him almost elemental at times.

Not that she minded. She wasn't the same woman either. Her relief at being free from battle filled her with an emotional edge and a weakness - at least when it came to him - that wasn't there before. Still, she and Clark complimented each other. Dealing with the Darkness had drawn them together in a way no one else could understand.

That's why he hadn't questioned her when she told him they had to go back.

It was the risky choice, unsanctioned and unsupported by most of the three Legion members who were their friends. Rokk thought it was too late to make a difference. Imra was afraid that they would just die trying. Garth was the only one who reluctantly supported their decision. Lois couldn't fault them; even she wasn't sure. All she knew was that she had to try. They'd all made mistakes the first time around. Lois couldn't sit around if there was a chance she could fix them.

The fate of Superman - the fate of the world - depended on it.

Lois checked her messenger. Time was running out.

Her eyes looked to the sky again. The sun had already set and the clear night sky was filled with stars.

Where was Clark?

She saw him then, as if her very thoughts had brought him to her, just a black streak against the stars.

The sight caused her breath to catch.

Without warning, she was assaulted by memories of the same night so long ago.

_Her city was burning. Every building, street, alley and mailbox was on fire. Shouts, screams, and occasional gunshots rose through the darkness with the smell of smoke. Flames provided the only light in the dark of evening.  
><em>

_How had it come to this? She still questioned it but really didn't care any longer. It needed to end. One, way or another, it would end tonight._

_A dark figure crossed the evening sky and she straightened, mentally preparing herself to meet him. Fire shot out of his eyes to the city below, marking his passing with maximum destruction. Watching him use his power that way made her angry._

_How had he turned into this?_

_When he landed, her eyes reluctantly scanned him for threats. They didn't linger on his face. She hated seeing it, especially his eyes - gray and lifeless - showing nothing of the man inside.  
><em>

_The man she'd known was gone; she couldn't reach him. She'd tried so hard._

"Clark?" The name was soft, pleading, the memory so real and vivid here.

_She had to reach him. He shouldn't be this way. They needed him … _

"Clark?" Again she whispered his name.

_She needed him._

"Lois."

Her head was spinning. _He's talking_.

"Lois!" His voice was more forceful now, his hands clutching her arms. She gazed at him in wonder as he gave her a little shake.

"Lois."

Reality was slow to return. When she finally realized that it was her Clark standing in front of her, tears were rolling down her cheeks. Gently, Clark reached up to wipe them away with his thumb. When he pulled her to his chest, she was surprised to feel him shaking.

"I knew … shouldn't have let you come here." The words were muffled against her hair.

Just being in his arms calmed her. When his words sunk in, her response was more of a croak. "Like you could have stopped me," she sniffled, forcing a smile as she pulled back to look at his face.

Frustrated blue eyes greeted her and the smile became more genuine.

Clark was here; he was with her.

She shook her head to clear the memories from her mind. They had seemed so real, been so vivid.

"Are you okay?" His voice was soft.

Lois nodded, keeping her eyes on his. "What about you? Being here can't be easy …" Her eyes moved guiltily away from his and her hand raised nervously to her throat. They both knew who decided to wait here.

His hand stopped hers before it could reach the scars and brought her eyes back to his. "All of my time … here … is a little hazy," he told her. "The only thing that I remember clearly is you." While the one hand continued to hold hers, the other moved to the scars on her neck. "I can't believe I hurt you …" His eyes darkened as he lightly caressed each one and repeated the apology he'd made a thousand times. "I'm sorry."

The tears that stopped threatened again. "Even then, you were trying to protect me-"

"Because I wanted you," he told her huskily, eyes dropping to her mouth. "Some things never change, I guess."

Lois tried to keep her pulse under control but it was no use. When he was like this she couldn't resist.

His lips met hers in a demanding kiss. She didn't hesitate, just softened her lips and opened her mouth for him. When his tongue swept inside, her knees grew weak. Everything faded away except for the feel of his mouth, the warmth of his touch and the heat from his body. This … this was where she belonged; forget the past; forget the future.

This _connection_ - the one she only felt with him - was still just as strong.

When his hands touched bare skin, she realized that Clark meant for his kiss and his touch to banish her memories of this place.

"Clark," she moaned, but he ignored her, running his mouth over each of her scars, making her sigh. She knew he was completely focused on her and that, despite what he said, he needed to forget the past as much as she did.

By the time he had her dark-colored shirt unbuttoned, her body was in wholehearted agreement with Clark's plan and her brain was too foggy to care.

_Beep … beep … beep. _

It was her messenger.

"Ignore … it," Clark told her between kisses.

_Beep … beep … beep_.

"We can't," she muttered.

He didn't stop.

"Clark!" Her exclamation turned into a groan when Clark started sucking on the sensitive spot behind her ear.

She pushed at him as the messenger continued and, after a few minutes he reluctantly pulled away, eyes still filled with heat. Her breath caught at the look in them. Quickly, he placed one more firm kiss on her lips before turning the messenger so that he could read it while she buttoned her shirt.

It was Garth, keeping them in the loop. The message wasn't a good one; events were moving faster than they originally thought.

Clark's brow furrowed. "We should go."

"Wait," Lois stopped him with a hand to his chest. "What did you find out?" She was still a little breathless. "We got, uhm, sidetracked before you could tell me."

"The tremors are getting stronger," he replied, his still heated gaze making her breath hitch. He sobered, looking down at the messenger. "What I saw is in line with what Garth sent."

"Which means we have some time," she told him with a nod, just the thought bringing her back to reality. "I have to see her first."

"Lois-"

"Clark," Lois' returned with a grave look. "It all means nothing if we can't convince her to finish what I started-"

"That's the problem," Clark argued, his tone containing just a hint of jealousy. "You started it and left her to finish."

"She loves him … I know-"

Clark's voice was loud in the quiet of the night, his face a mixture of jealousy, disbelief, and frustration. "You don't know that … She's. Not. You."

Lois paused. They'd had this argument before and it got her nowhere. Stepping back, she lowered her voice and looked into his eyes, taking a different stance. "Does _he_ love her?"

"Of course." Clark's answer was immediate.

"How do you know?"

His jaw clenched. "Because … I know," he answered stubbornly.

Her smile was faint. "You're not the same man …" she pointed out.

"Hell, no," he admitted, running his hand through his hair.

"Yet, you know-"

Clark grabbed her arms for emphasis, his frustration showing. "He's not an idiot."

Her eyes flashed in victory. "Neither is she."

God, you're stubborn," he said, his voice calmer as he pulled her against his chest. "She's not an idiot … but there are reasons for her decision. Some of them make sense."

She shook her head as best she could against solid muscle. "No they don't. She doesn't understand." Lois kissed softly along the side of his neck. "Not like I do."

She hid her smile of victory when he squeezed her tightly. His deep sigh rumbled through her chest. "All right; I'll drop you by the Planet first thing and I'll go to the Geothermal Plant-"

Her face looked up to his profile in a panic. "You're not going to-"

He shook his head. "I'm just going to look around."

Lois put her arms around Clark and held on even tighter. "I just want to spend as much time together as possible before …"

She felt his nod, "I don't have a problem with that," he replied softly.

His grip shifted. "Ready?"

"Let's go," she told him determinedly.

As they rose from the rooftop, Lois took one last look around. Maybe coming had served its purpose after all. She felt resolute. What they were doing wouldn't be easy but it was right. Lifting her face to the night, she kept her eyes on the stars as they headed toward Metropolis.

She didn't look back.

_**Metropolis, next morning**_

"Olsen, where are the photos that go with my story on the tremors!" Lois looked around but the curly-haired photographer was nowhere in sight.

_Damn._

She needed those photos. For two days, the Metropolis area had been experiencing tremors similar to an earthquake. In a state with no fault lines, this was big news. Authorities had narrowed the center to the west side of town and Lois had taken Jimmy out there to investigate. Now, Jimmy and her photos were not to be found.

Without warning Lois felt the building begin to shake. The cries of her co-workers rose above the general noise as Lois reached for the desk to steady herself. Before she could get her balance, she felt her hip slam into her old desk hard enough to leave a bruise.

_Just great._

Putting her hands on the desk, her eyes automatically travelled to the adjacent desk. The tears that she'd been holding back threatened to fall as Clark's nameplate glared at her. She rubbed her forehead and blinked, trying to clear her thoughts. The lack of sleep was starting to take effect.

The sudden, sharp pain in her head was unusual. She gasped, waiting for it to pass, and eyes caught the phone booths in the lobby. Her mind replayed a memory as clear as if she was there.

_She was staring at Clark as he emerged from the phone booth at work. He looked so different …like a man instead of the boy she'd known. She needed to touch him and so she reached out to adjust his collar and smooth his shirt. _

"_You look good," Lois told him, resisting the urge to go further and simply burrow in the warmth that seemed to radiate off of him. The urge to kiss him was equally strong but, before she could act on it or push it away, an explosion rocked the building. _

_Her body was forced against his. His touch sent a jolt through her like an electrical current. She looked at his mouth and then into his eyes. He was puzzled, by her reaction or his, she couldn't tell. As close as their bodies were, she leaned in slightly. She wanted him …_

As the memory faded, Lois bit her bottom lip, trying to hold in the moan that wanted to escape. She was still feeling the effects of the memory, the impression of his body against hers and the heat that he exuded. She shivered. The Bullpen suddenly seemed cold.

That was all she needed, to start experiencing flashbacks today.

Her memories of her _lost_ _months_ were still spotty after all this time. Not all of them had returned and what she did remember didn't return all at once. Although Dr. Hamilton said it was normal, Lois had been frustrated at first, especially when she would catch Clark looking at her like he was expecting her to act or respond a certain way. Although he never said anything, she sometimes felt like he was disappointed that she wasn't the same girl anymore.

Not that it mattered now.

Sighing as the pain passed, she reached for one of her packing boxes, her eyes carefully avoiding Clark's nameplate.

Today was the day she was moving into her new office. Originally, she was going to wait until after …

_Oh, well, no time like the present_.

Besides, the physical labor would be good for her. She might even be able to get some sleep tonight. That thought led her to pick up a second box and walk determinedly to the elevator.

Juggling the boxes, she pushed the up button and waited, thankful that she'd decided to wear pants with her light tweed jacket.

The voice from just behind her almost made her heart stop. For a second, the pain was so incredible that she couldn't breathe. His words penetrated slowly.

"Most people take the day off when it's their wedding day," Clark said calmly, his face turned toward the elevator.

Before Lois could respond, the elevator doors opened and Clark stepped forward. Turning he took the boxes from her and backed inside.

Without warning, she was hit with another memory.

_"Handle with care, Smallville, I've had those albums since I was ten," Lois told Clark, shoving a couple of moving boxes into his hands. Stepping inside, she grabbed back the top box and brushed past Clark on the way to the kitchen counter. _

"_Great, your Def Leppard Anthology, can't wait to hear that," Clark responded sarcastically, looking inside the box as he sat it on the counter opposite Lois. "Why are you bringing this stuff here when you obviously haven't missed it?"_

"_Quit your whining," Lois told him. "I forgot a few things, okay? The love birds don't need my stuff cluttering their nest and we've got plenty of room …" At Clark's amused glance and raised eyebrows, Lois panicked and started babbling. "I mean you've got plenty of room … I mean there's plenty of room here … at the farm, it's big, with lots of space ..." _

_Where did that "we" come from?"_

"_It's all right Lois," Clark said, reaching across the counter to place his hand on her arm. "I want you to think of the farm as your home." _

_Before she could adjust to his heat, Clark removed his hand but his words brought an entirely different kind of warmth to her heart. She'd heard the sentiment often enough from Ms. Kent but to hear it from Clark … _

_Home-_

_Oh, God_.

Her heart swelled from the memory - and all that had happened since - until she thought it would explode. She stood frozen, watching as Clark reached out to hold the door, his expression growing concerned. It took a minute, but the look on Clark's face brought her around. She didn't need his sympathy, damnit.

With a shaky sigh, angry at her emotional response, Lois stormed in and snatched back the boxes.

"I've got them," she muttered, turning to the front of the elevator, looking anywhere but at him. He wouldn't get to her today.

Clark didn't respond, just pushed the button for the seventh floor, where her new office was located. When the silence continued, Lois shifted the boxes in her arms. The quiet was getting to her and he knew it. After a few minutes, she glanced in his direction.

He looked pale and tired, his eyes faded behind the heavy frames of his glasses.

She'd never seen him look so tired. Was he sleeping? He hadn't been back to the apartment since that night two days ago when she'd told him she couldn't possibly marry him. She had no idea where he'd been or what he'd been doing. The thought bothered her.

Could she really do this?

Her weight shifted to the other foot as she adjusted the boxes again.

She was making the right decision. Walking - _or blurring_ - in Clark's shoes had been an eye-opening experience. Every day, every hour, every minute, he made impossible choices. What he decided could mean the difference life and death and, every time he chose to be with her, the decision was between her and someone else's injury or death.

She had to take herself out of the equation and give him back to the world. Years with the General had taught her that sometimes sacrifices had to be made for the greater good. When Clark was so desperately needed by the world, calling him hers was selfish. Giving him back - letting him go - was the only way.

Bolstered by her thoughts, she walked briskly to her office after the elevator stopped. To her chagrin, Clark followed her inside, shutting the door behind him.

"I've been thinking about what you said," he told her. She turned to face him but her eyes darted around the office. How could she do this if she couldn't look him in the eyes? The problem was that if she saw too much pain in his expression she might cave completely. If she saw acceptance, her heart might shatter. She didn't want to see either.

This was a mess.

"You were the one who told me that I couldn't be the hero every day, all day long … do you remember?" He held his breath, praying that she did, but knowing that her memories from that time were often few and far between.

Her eyes slammed into his with surprise but she nodded slowly. He released the breath he was holding. "If that's the case, then you wouldn't be interfering with anything. You'd be helping me … you'd be part of my friends and family. You'd be my best friend … my wife."

_Home … Clark_

It hit her again like a punch to the gut. She turned her back, unable to look at his face, unable to breathe.

Clark looked at her back and sighed. She had to be the most stubborn woman on the face of the planet. Now she wouldn't even look at him.

Still, he couldn't let her go without a fight. Last night when he was sitting alone in the loft, wondering how she expected him to live without her, he was hit with the memory of her past advice. It was the only thing that got him out of bed this morning.

_They were both in the barn on Thanksgiving and he was finding out that saving the world with Lana was not all that it was cracked up to be. He needed Lois' opinion._

"_Do you think what I'm doing … Lois, is it enough?"_

_Her answer was slow and deliberate. "You've saved a lot of people, Clark, but is it enough? I don't' know," He watched as she leaned forward to make her point. "How much is? I don't think any one person, even an extraordinary one, can do it all." _

_With Lana's accusation ringing in his ears, he asked Lois. "Is it … am I … selfish for wanting to spend the holiday with my family?"_

"_No, you're not selfish," Lois told him softly, and he was surprised to hear a hint of anger in her response._

_Before he could comment on it, she continued, gripping the rough edge of the window and rocking on her heels while she explained. "You can't be the hero every day, all day long. Even the most dedicated get burned out, trust me. Once that happens, you forget why you started in the first place. Everyone needs time to remember and regroup and, for you Smallville, that means spending time with friends and family …" _

Those words gave him hope then … and today.

"Clark," she interrupted his thoughts and he winced at the use of his name. She hadn't called him Smallville since the night she told him she couldn't marry him.

"I told you those things before … before I got to listen to the cries for help that you hear every day. Those people - the ones who cry out - they need you, and I can't be the one to stand in their way," she told him. To his surprise he could see the unshed tears in her eyes.

"You're not in their way, Lois," he tried to convince her. "You're by my side."

By now Clark knew her every expression; he could see the conflict in her face. It was relief to know that this wasn't an easy decision for her. He felt like it was killing him …

"Lois," he said, unable to watch her struggle without saying anything. "I want you by my side."

"Maybe we just don't get what we want!" Her agonized response felt like a slap to him. His head jerked back slightly. She must have noticed it, because her voice softened. "I can't be the one in your way."

"That's what Lana told me all those years ago in her farewell DVD," he told her quietly, feeling his gut churning at her continued resistance.

When her head jerked back in response to his words, Clark decided that he wasn't making any progress. Instead they were both just inflicting physical pain with their verbal spars. Bringing up Lana was not going to win him any points with Lois. He could almost hear his mother telling him that his remark was uncalled for and the General telling him it was time for a tactical retreat.

Turning to the door while she was still reeling – and before she could get her back up - he calmly pulled it open and spun on his heel to face her. "By the way, I've called everyone to tell them that the wedding is still on. Chloe and Oliver are working at the chapel right now."

He paused, taking some satisfaction in the stunned look on her face. "If you want to go through with canceling the wedding, you'll have to leave me standing at the altar."

_**Daily Planet, one hour later**_

Disguised in a trench coat, striped scarf and heavy sunglasses, Lois made her way into the Bullpen and tried to fight back the nostalgia that threatened to overwhelm her. The noise, the activity, and the smells were like home to her and she missed it all, so much. Journalism in the future - when everything was streamed live in real time - just wasn't the same.

After releasing her breath, she looked around, reminding herself that she wasn't here to reminisce.

Her eyes took in the changes as they moved around the room. She sighed with relief when she spotted Clark's desk and nameplate. Strolling toward the empty desk across from his, she took a look at the nameplate and paused in surprise … Catherine Grant.

_What the …?_

Without thinking, she stormed over to Jeff's desk, the fury clear in her tone. "What is Cat doing sitting at my … I mean, at Lois Lane's desk." Catching herself mid-rant, she grimaced and tried not to squirm under Jeff's scrutiny.

"Uhm, _Lois _has moved to her new office on the seventh floor," he said, looking down with a roll of eyes. He wasn't buying the costume, but Lois didn't care at this point. She knew she'd probably pulled a similar stunt before. Turning on her heel, she stalked away, his quip following her, "Undercover or amnesia this time, Lane … or is it the hangover from the Bachelorette party?"

She didn't bother to respond, grateful that his laughter was drowned out by the general din. Storming to the elevator, she pushed the up button, adjusting the neck of her short-sleeved sweater to cover up the scars. When the elevator doors opened, she was glad she'd taken the time.

The only person on the elevator was Chloe, standing there with a determined look on her face. Lois felt her heart swell at seeing her cousin and had to stop herself from sweeping her off her feet. As it was, she couldn't resist giving Chloe a hug when the doors closed.

"Well, I didn't expect such an enthusiastic response," her cousin told, clearly trying to see behind the sunglasses to Lois' expression. "You must know why I'm here."

"I do," Lois told her, knowing that they were both there for the same reason. Leaning her shoulder against the back wall, Lois crossed her arms, hoping to get some ideas for her own lecture. "Lay it on me."

Chloe was clearly taken aback. "Well … uhm … first, I can't believe you actually called the guests to cancel the wedding at the last minute."

Before the words were out, Lois was shaking her head. "Is that all you've got? Guilt is not going to work on me. Try again."

The flabbergasted look on her cousin's face was priceless. Chloe actually reddened. "Are you making fun of this situation? Because, I can tell you that Clark does not find this remotely funny. I've never seen him more upset."

Lois felt her chest tighten. "I know," she said softly, wishing she could tell Chloe that they were on the same mission, but that would only jeopardize the future even more. Turning her thoughts to the issue at hand, she tried garnering some of the arguments that Lois would make, but there was nothing.

Chloe toned it down herself at Lois' quiet response. "Lois, he told me you think you're standing in his way."

Lois nodded, not sure how to respond. God, the other Lois sounded like Lana. How the hell had that happened?

"I can tell you that Clark does not see it that way. I don't know what you experienced when you were supped up on Clark's powers but you are not holding Clark back." At that, Lois' head jerked up. She had Clark's powers?

"He needs someone to keep him going and, if he decides one day to take to the skies, he's going to need someone to keep him grounded. You are that person," Chloe put her hand on Lois' arm and Lois couldn't keep from nodding.

Rokk's words came to her. _You must support and challenge him._

Knowing that Chloe was expecting it, she countered.

"That's the problem, Chloe," she said. "What if I'm the one keeping him grounded? I couldn't live with that."

"Oh, Lois, he doesn't see you that way at all," her cousin said, reaching into her jacket pocket. Clenching her jaw, Chloe pulled out a folded piece of paper and handed it to Lois. "Here," she told her. "If you won't listen to me, read it in his own words."

When they reachd the seventh floor, Lois got off but Chloe stayed aboard. "If you can cancel the wedding after reading Clark's vows, then you're not the Lois Lane I know."

The elevator doors closed just as Chloe finished, the last thing Lois saw was her cousin's intent green gaze and raised eyebrows.

Smiling to herself, she adjusted the collar of her sweater and muttered to herself. "I'm not," almost laughing out loud at the irony. Her eyes rolled. "Chloe always did have a flare for the dramatic."

Lois' office was just two doors down from the elevator. Without knocking, Lois stepped inside and closed the door, coming face-to-face with herself.

"Who are you?" asked the tired-looking reporter, setting down the stapler she'd just removed from one of the packing boxes that surrounded her desk.

Adjusting the neck of her sweater, future Lois hesitated for a minute. When her head stayed clear and her breathing continued at a normal rate she sighed in relief. Garth was right. She didn't have any of the disorientation that others faced when coming face to face with themselves. According to her friend from the future, it had something to do with having shared brain waves with her counterpart.

Taking a deep breath, she pulled off her sunglasses and scarf. "I'm you," she said, almost smiling at the stunned expression on her doppelganger's face. Keeping her expression serious, she focused on the importance of this moment for Clark … for Superman … for the world.

She needed to bring her double back around but as they stood staring at each other, she wasn't sure how. Looking at the strained face of her double reminded her that they weren't they same woman.

_She's. Not. You. _

As Clark's words repeated in her thoughts, she felt her confidence falter slightly.

The tremor that shook the building seemed to mirror her own wavering resolve. Steadying herself with the back of one of the chairs, she tried to rally her thoughts and arguments.

Out of nowhere she was hit with the memory of her conversation with Clark at the hospital all those years ago.

"_Why me?"_

_Lois looked at him in amazement. "Are you serious or are you just fishing for compliments?"_

"_Yes … no … I mean I'm trying to understand," Clark explained, stepping closer as his wide eyes conveyed his confusion._

_All Lois could do in response was roll her eyes - would the man never understand his worth?_

_After giving her his most frustrated look, Clark changed tactics. "Okay …why you, then?" _

_Lois didn't hesitate, smiling when she looked directly into Clark's eyes, "Because you need me, Smallville."_

When the memory faded, Lois felt her confidence return. She straightened her shoulders and looked into the eyes in the face across from hers. There was strength and determination behind the pain in her eyes. Lois may not be this woman but Lois still understood her. In any time, Lois Lane was, well, Lois Lane.

After a few moments of silence, her double sighed and flattened her hands on the desk. Looking skeptical, she leaned forward. "That's not possible. Who are you?"

"I'm from the future," Lois told her and watched the other woman's eyes widen in surprise. Part of her wondered if Clark had ever talked to her about their little trip to the future. Given the Legion rules, she doubted it.

"We need to talk," she told her double firmly, unconcerned with her response.

Her double raised one hand to rub against her forehead and Lois knew that she was ready to listen. "About what?"

Lois' response was straightforward. "Being needed."

_**Metropolis, same time**_

Clark studied the flimsy chain link fence that surround Geothermal Dynamics and wondered if the company had discovered that their plant was the epicenter for the tremors.

They obviously had no idea what was buried in the ground. Otherwise, they would have put up a better fence. The sarcasm in his thoughts made him shake his head. His internal speak sounded very _Lois-y_ these days.

Listening for the creature while trying to get a glimpse of the tunnels with his x-ray vision distracted Clark just enough so that he missed the sound of footsteps until they were almost upon him. Even without seeing who it was he suspected a member of the team. One of them would have put two and two together by now, wedding or no wedding. When he glimpsed his visitor's profile out of the corner of his eye, he sighed. Just his luck that it would be the one person who knew exactly who he was … and who he wasn't.

"J'onn," he nodded, trying not to grimace at the rough edge to his voice.

Even if J'onn couldn't read his mind, his voice was probably a dead give-away_. _"Are you following the tremors or me?"

J'onn looked him over from head to toe before commenting.

_All black attire … another give-away._

"I am sorry to say that we haven't really been looking into these tremors as we should have, what with Chloe moving and the wedding plans." J'onn's gaze grew questionning. "Until now, we were all assuming that they were an unnatural, natural phenomenon." At Clark's raised brow, he grew defensive. "A lot of that happens around here," he commented.

When Clark didn't respond, the Martian released a sigh. "Actually, most of our resources have been spent looking for Tess-"

"Tess is missing?" Clark asked him warily. In his time, he'd avoided Tess for the most part. When the Darkness invaded, she'd been one of the first taken and had wreaked havoc in her own right before she was killed. Now, his only concern was whether her disappearance might affect the job he and Lois came back to do.

This time it was J'onn's eyebrow that rose as he caught the other man's thoughts. He shook his head after a minute. "I don't think the two events are connected … but I think that Tess' disappearance relates to the emergence of a old friend, now turned villain …" he trailed off thoughtfully.

"Lex Luthor," Clark remarked.

J'onn raised his hand. "It would probably be best if I didn't know too much about the future."

"Don't worry," Clark told him. "Everything's in flux right now anyway. What I know could change completely in the next few hours." He continued to stare the chain link fence and felt the smirk cross his face. "I can tell you we'd all be saved a lot of trouble if we could just train the beast to go after Luthor."

J'onn's smile was quick. "Have you been hanging with Lois, by any chance?"

Clark shrugged, the sarcasm in his voice tinged with affection. "I can't seem to get away from her … now or in the future."

"Like you would want to," J'onn commented, reaching into his pocket and offering Clark a cookie. When Clark shook his head, J'onn took a bite contemplatively, letting the silence stretch. "If you can tell me … what do you have that our Clark lacks?"

"Nothing," he told the Martian, his jaw flexing in response to the question.

"Flight?"

In response, Clark just shrugged. "He just needs to make up his mind."

The Martian studied future Clark for a minute. "So, you're here as a …" His voice trailed away as understanding dawned. "You know, your potential is not limited by your past actions."

Clark fought to keep the bitterness from his response. "I'm not _him _and never will be," he said. "It's him the world needs. Trust me, I've seen just how much." He shrugged and continued to watch the fence. "My potentialwill probably be a moot point by the time this is over."

"_He_ would tell you that you should never lose hope."

Clark couldn't contain his bark of laughter, impressed by the Martian's quick wit. "What would _you_ tell me?"

J'onn shrugged. "I'd probably remind you that the future is always changing. Nothing is set in stone." His eyes were dark as they looked intensely at Clark. "I know that as well as anyone."

Taken aback by the words, Clark realized that J'onn had memories of the Darkness, as well. "I guess you would," he commented, gaining respect for the man. He could see now why Lois counted him as a friend … and why Clark had also counted him as a friend before the Darkness had kept him from having any.

A few minutes passed in silence while J'onn finished his cookie. When a violent tremor shook the ground the men fought to keep their balance and managed to stay upright. J'onn grimaced when part of the cookie dropped.

"Is there any way to keep that thing down there?"

Clark narrowed his eyes toward the underground trenches and paused. "No."

"Is there anything you need?"

Clark's x-ray vision couldn't pick up the creature … not yet. "I'm going to need some back up if this goes south."

"Kara didn't come with you." I was more of a statement than a question.

Clark didn't bother to respond.

"You didn't tell her," J'onn surmised.

Again, Clark didn't feel the need to answer that one out loud.

J'onn seemed to follow Clark's thoughts. "Knowledge of the future doesn't always give us the answers, does it?"

"No," Clark answered, trying to keep his thoughts clear for the Martian's benefit as much as his own.

Finally, J'onn nodded his head. "I'll station myself at Watchtower," he told Clark. "I don't think they'll miss me at the wedding."

Surprise made Clark blink and turn to face the Martian. "Is there going to be a wedding?"

"I tracked you last night," J'onn told him with a smile playing across his lips. "I know who's with you. I assume she's here to tackle that problem. If I know her, which I do, then there _will_ be a wedding." He paused for a minute and pulled out another cookie. "I just wish I could watch - Lois versus Lois - now that would be something to see."

_**Kent farm, early afternoon**_

The note, written simply in Lois' scrawl, read, "Meet me at the farm as soon as possible."

Standing at the Kent mailbox, Clark glanced at it one more time, his eyes moving to the farm and the small red car parked out front. She was here and she wanted to see him.

Heart racing, he sped up through the gate to the kitchen door, pausing with his hand on the knob, his thoughts continuing to race.

Was this some sort of ultimatum or had she changed her mind?

Both reactions scared him now.

After he'd left Lois' office this morning, he'd tried to rectify what she'd told him the barn with what she was telling him now. How could he persuade her she was wrong if he didn't understand? Still, after thinking it through, he couldn't understand her reasoning, so he'd ended up replaying the past two and half years together.

Was it his fault?

Years ago, based on what he'd seen in the future, he'd convinced himself that as long as he had Lois, everything would be perfect. That was a lot of pressure to put on someone. Had Lois finally buckled under his expectations? He certainly could understand how that would happen.

Yet, she never seemed that intent on making things perfect. She constantly disagreed with him. Their first big fight was over Davis Bloome. Lois joined Chloe in her crazy idea to hide Davis away in the basement of the Talon as a way of protecting Clark. After a while all the secrecy destroyed Chloe's relationship with Jimmy and put a serious strain on Lois' relationship with Clark. In the end, it didn't make any difference. Clark was forced to fight the beast anyway, after Chloe separated him from Davis. A short battle later and Clark had buried the beast in the tunnels below the Geothermal Plant.

Then Lois sided with Kara over Clark when it came to Kara's decision to travel permanently to the future. In the end, Clark had lost that argument and Kara had joined the Legion and settled in another time. She wasn't alone. Much to Clark's surprise, Davis decided to go with her. The man was struggling after the separation and it was Kara who suggested the idea. As far as Clark knew they were both thriving in their time.

He shook his head. Lois wasn't a woman who had a problem letting him know what was on her mind. If she was feeling the pressure, surely she would have said something.

Maybe the problem was time. It seems that the two of them never had enough of it. In the past couple of years, he'd be forced to deal with Zod and the Kandorians, Checkmate, and his own training and Oliver's group of heroes.

The last thought reminded him that he hadn't heard from J'onn or the team in a few days. He felt another tremor shake the earth and wondered if the team was working on the problem. Lois had narrowed the cause to the west side of the city. If they were working on it, they were keeping him out of the loop. For once he didn't mind.

Keeping his hand on the knob he paused again as the thought crossed his mind that Lois was making the right decision. Just thinking about the past two years reminded him of all the craziness in his life. As much as the idea pained him, he knew that living with him would never be easy. Maybe he shouldn't push …

Feeling uncertain, his confidence from the morning diminished, Clark opened the door and walked into kitchen. The sight of his mother sitting at the counter, dressed in her semi-formal attire, stopped him in his tracks.

"Mom, what are you doing here?"

His mother calmly took a drink before looking up. "I've been helping the bride."

Clark swallowed nervously and crossed his arms over his chest. "The bride?"

With a sympathetic expression, his mother walked over and rested her hand on his arm. "Clark, it's not unusual for a woman who's getting married to have jitters before the wedding-"

"Jitters?" Clark exclaimed, following his mother's gaze up the stairs, and lowering his voice. "Mom, she was ready to call off the whole thing."

"I know, honey," his mother told him with a pat on the arm, "but Lois' reaction was actually pretty typical."

Clark uncrossed his arms and stepped back, letting his mother's hand drop to her side. "Nothing about this is typical, mom." Clark ran a hand through his hair, letting his frustration show. He couldn't hide his distress from his mother. "Lois got to experience my powers for a day." Clark couldn't keep from pacing. "Maybe she has a valid point," he continued, his voice breaking on the last few words. "Being married to me won't be easy. What if getting married isn't what's right?"

His mother kept her face passive but he could see the concern and sympathy in her eyes. "Clark, if getting married was about doing what was right, your father and I never would have tied the knot." A bitter sweet smile crossed her face. "Marriage isn't always about what's right or wrong; it's about building a life together."

Her mind seemed to wonder and she paused before she continued. "Being married isn't easy, no matter who you are, but if you love each other …" The smile stayed on her face as she gripped his arm. "Remember that, Clark, and everything will work out," she said. "Now, go talk to her." With that, she turned and walked back to the counter. Picking up the cup, she told him, "I'm going to take my tea outside."

Clark watched as his mother picked up her cup, then his eyes turned to the top of the stairs. His mother hadn't told him anything about what Lois was thinking. Feeling anxious, he took the stairs two at a time and opened the door to his old bedroom, only to have it pushed back until he was standing in the hall.

"No seeing the bride before the wedding, Prince Charming. It's against the rules," Lois' voice told him.

Part of him wanted to push in the door so he could see and touch her, but the other part reminded him that he didn't want to push. He'd done enough of that this morning. Standing in the hall, he let her take the lead. Uncertainly, he faced the door with his hands in his pockets. "I thought you were calling off the ceremony."

With the door left open a crack, he could hear her clearly. "Well, about that," Lois told him. "I was thinking about what you said this morning … and about what you wrote." Hearing her words fade in and out, Clark could tell she was pacing. "Look, don't have a cow, farm boy, but I read your vows. I know it's against the rules but a little bird gave them to me and, once they were in my hands, I had to look …"

Clark felt a smile tug at the corners of his mouth. Lois was nervous and babbling away. Slowly, as she continued, he felt each one of his doubts fade away and disappear.

_Marriage isn't about what's right or wrong; it's about building a life together …_

And that's what he wanted to do with Lois - to listen to her babble when she was nervous, to watch her bite her bottom lip when she was tempted, and to simply hold her on those few occasions when she cried. He never wanted her to be perfect; he never needed things to be right. He just wanted to be with her through all the mistakes and the trying times. Just like now.

Her voice floated out to him, interrupting his thoughts.

"So, I know it's breaking the rules but, since I already did …" Clark watched as a sheet of paper slid under the door. "Here are my vows."

"Lois … I know I pushed you this morning," Clark told her, his certainty warring with his need to make sure that this was what she wanted. "If you don't want to do this today, I want you to know that I'll understand." He paused, the words hurting even though he knew they were the ones he should say. "I'll marry you in three hours, three days or three years."

On the other side of the door, Lois felt her heart swell, marveling at how Clark could always say what she needed to hear. She touched the door gently, wishing that the hard wood surface was Clark instead. She wanted to throw her arms around him now and apologize. She'd done an about-face after one day with his powers, forgetting that he was a man and treating him like he was nothing but a hero. He deserved better than that.

"I know, Smallville," she told him softly, wanting to kick herself for making him doubt her … doubt himself … doubt them. "I needed a little push in the right direction, a reminder …." Her voice trailed off. She didn't want to say too much about her visitor from the future, even if she was the one who'd been able to get through the panic.

When she literally came face-to-face with herself she realized what she'd done. In trying to be selfless she'd made the selfish choice. In some ways it was easier to give him up than live with trying to support him. As her double had pointed out, if she did her part, more people would be saved, not less.

Reading Clark's vows only cemented what the woman from the future was telling her.

Clark needed Lois.

Still, she'd hurt him and now she needed to make that up to him somehow. "Clark, I'm sorry. I think we can all agree that I was never meant to have your powers. They made me a little crazy-"

"Lois …" Clark interrupted, clearly upset by her self-criticism.

"No, Clark, listen. Having your powers made me focus on what you're supposed to do and made me forget what I'm supposed to do." Lois swallowed hard and leaned her shoulder against the door frame. It was never easy for her to apologize.

Would Clark accept her apology?

"What is it you're supposed to do, Lois?" Clark asked, his voice growing faint as if he'd turned his back on her. Just the thought made her shudder and her words caught in her throat.

"Just … just read them, Clark," she managed to choke out.

She wouldn't blame him if he wanted to back out. When he needed her, she hadn't been there for him. Between her own guilt and his silence, she was having trouble breathing. For what felt like minutes, but was probably only seconds, she paced the floor … waiting.

Finally, she couldn't take it anymore. "Clark?" She rested her hand on the door and leaned her face against it, trying to bring herself closer to him.

Nothing.

Her heart stopped. Clark wasn't responding. What if she was too late? How would she ever live with herself … live without him? Just when she thought she might start hyperventilating, he spoke.

"I'm here, Lois."

At the sound of his voice - so close, so tender - she almost cried out. The scattered pieces of her heart came together to form a whole and she felt like she could breathe for the first time in days.

"I'll see you at the chapel," he told her warmly.

She inhaled deeply and a lone tear trickled down her face. Impatiently she brushed it away.

Exhaling softly, she responded. "I'll see you there."

Closing the door, she leaned against it, taking another deep breath. Clark's footsteps headed for the other bedroom and his tuxedo. She listened to them, her breathing automatically matching his steps.

In her heart, she knew that married life with Clark would have its challenges, that being the support he needed would never be easy. Still, it was role she was meant for …

_My destiny is to love you._

Her certainty grew … she could breathe again_. _

_**The Chapel at sunset**_

Lois rubbed the scars on her throat as she stood outside the quaint little chapel and looked through one of the clear panels in the stained glass window. The concrete block she'd commandeered for height wobbled a little and she reached for the sill.

A strong arm steadied her from the side.

"Is this really necessary?" Clark asked.

She said nothing, just gave him a glaring look and turned back to the widow, her heart full as she watched the culmination of what the Legion started years ago. What _she_ started years ago. Now she felt like a proud parent, sort of.

"Are you feeling anything?" Lois asked the man next to her.

Clark shook his head. "No, we must be far enough away. I'm not getting any of the dizziness or disorientation that Garth warned me about."

"Good," Lois whispered, taking another peek into the small clear pane.

The music was playing now, loud enough that she could hear it on the outside of the small building. Attendance was good, Lois noted with satisfaction. From her perspective she could see most of the team - Victor, Dinah, A.C. and his wife, Mera - only Bart was missing. She recognized several prior co-workers, including Randall and Jimmy, as well as some of her long-lost relatives.

Mrs. Kent had already been seated and, as she watched, Chloe and Oliver walked happily down the aisle together.

Without realizing it, she squeezed Clark's arm, sighing at her cousin's happiness.

"Chloe." Clark's voice was barely above a whisper as he leaned in to see what Lois was looking at. The pain on his face took her by surprise. Sometimes she forgot what he'd been through before he brought the Darkness to Star City. After succumbing in Metropolis, Clark had tried to pull others with him to the dark side. Chloe followed her friend but resisted the Darkness. She was killed as a result.

It was a lot for Clark to deal with.

With a soft hand, Lois turned Clark's face to hers. With the added support, they were eye to eye. "Leave what happened in the past in the past," she told him firmly. Looking over Clark's shoulder through one of the other panes, she smiled. "She's happy now."

When he nodded, she cupped his chin in her hand, using her thumb to smooth out the wrinkles that had formed around his mouth. Before she could do any of the other things she wanted to do, the wedding march began and the crowd stood.

Lois turned back to the window, only to find her father blocking her view of the bride.

"Crap," she muttered under her breath. "The General's in my way."

Clark's breath was warm against her ear, even with the sarcasm in his voice. "I'm sure you look beautiful, Lois."

"Ha, ha," she replied, shuffling on the block to change the angle of her view. "She'd better," Lois muttered, trying to shift her position on the block. Moving to the left didn't help her to see Lois' face, only made her more unsteady on her makeshift step.

_At least the General looks proud_.

She smiled at the thought, her eyes traveling to Martha. She looked proud and happy as well.

Her eyes sought out the groom, who was waiting patiently next to Oliver in his three-piece suit. His eyes were completely and utterly transfixed on the bride. From Lois' perspective the look on his face was the happiest she'd ever seen. By the time the bride reached him, the groom's expression was so radiant Lois was forced to look away.

One side of her mouth turned up as she turned her gaze to the man standing next to her. "He looks happy," she remarked, unable to stay silent for long.

"He is." Clark's tone was quiet, almost assessing.

"Wouldn't it be something if he started floating right here in the Chapel?"

Clark turned back to her with a near-panicked expression. "Don't even joke about that."

Lois had to suppress a laugh. At the mirth in her eyes, Clark shook his head. "What are we doing here, Lois?" He turned back to look at the bride and groom. "This has got to be the weirdest thing I've ever done."

Lois ignored him with a "shushing" sound as the couple started speaking their vows. She couldn't hear all the words but she knew most of them by now. Her mind went to the moment this morning that her double read the words Clark had written.

_I, Clark Kent, take you, Lois Lane to be my companion, forever …_

_With you by my side, I will never be alone._

_When I've been lost, you've always been there to bring me back …_

_You've always believed in me … and I believe in you … and when you believe in someone, it's not just for a minute or for now, it's forever …_

One read-through of Clark's words and Lois had seen everything she wanted to on her double's face. All the heartache and the self-doubt seemed to melt away.

"_He needs me," her double said, not seeking confirmation as much as giving it to herself._

_Lois nodded, "Yes, he does."_

"_I'm an idiot."_

_Lois nodded her agreement with a smile on her face and tears in her eyes._

Now, looking at the bride's face, everything was there … all the love and understanding that Lois hoped for when she started this journey. Right now, even though she couldn't see them, she was sure that the bride's eyes were shining with tears.

When it was her turn, Lois caught only bits and pieces of the vows but was proud of what she heard. In any time and any place, Lois Lane had a way with words.

_I wanted these vows to be perfect but perfection is hard thing to get your hands on …_

_With love, it's like the General always says about the army, you should sign up if it's the only thing you could imagine yourself doing._

_I could not imagine spending a moment of my life without you …_

_You're my best friend, you're my home and you're my true love … _

_I am yours and will be forever. _

With the vows complete, the minister started speaking, and Lois leaned forward to place a kiss on Clark's jaw. "All right," she told him. "You've indulged me long enough, I suppose." She looked at the messenger on her waist and her heart sank. "It's time to go."

Hazel eyes met blue and she knew he could see the fear in hers. His lop-sided smile sent her heart into overdrive, as it always did, but behind the smile she could see his worry and his own fear. Holding her gaze, he inclined his head toward the bride and groom.

"We have time for the rings," he said softly.

His words filled her with mixed emotions. She knew they were putting off the inevitable but part of her wanted to forget and live in this moment. What Clark was willing to do for Superman, for them all …

It made her love him more. What he was willing to do for her seemed boundless. She couldn't imagine her life without him. Even now, stalking her dopplegangers' wedding, she wanted him by her side.

With a nod, she plastered a smile on her face turned with him to watch the front of the chapel. Her hands moved to his shoulders and she rested her chin there, tilting her head against his. After a minute, her eyes closed, working against the tears that threatened as her mind continued to dwell on the sacrifice her Clark was willing to make for her and for the world.

Her arms moved around him and she tightened them, promising herself that she would not lose him again. With her eyes closed, she was surprised when Clark moved away. Opening her eyes, she found Clark facing her. Over his should she could see Oliver moving to hand the ring to the groom.

Her questioning gaze met intense, heated blue; his eyes shining in the sunset.

"What are you doing?" Her words were whispered.

"Marriage isn't a big a deal the in future, unfortunately," Clark told her, his gaze turning even more intense as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. "Lois, I know I don't have any rights after what I've put you through," he told her, pulling a ring from the box and reaching for her hand. "But, I want you to be my wife."

He paused and waited for her reaction. When she stood frozen in place, he lifted her hand and placed the ring on her third finger. Stunned, Lois could only listen, a dim part of her brain registering that Clark's words echoed the ones being said in the chapel.

"With this ring, I promise to love and honor you for the rest of my life," he said intently, a small smile playing around the edges on his mouth.

Vaguely Lois could see that the bride was taking her turn with the ring in the chapel, but she could only watch. Clark had taken her completely by surprise. She had nothing … except words.

"Cark, I …" when she would have said something, made her own promises … or her own excuses, Clark stopped her with a finger to her lips.

Leaning forward, he kissed her gently, the softness of his lips turning her to mush. Lois sighed when he pulled away, her heart beating with so much love and, when she remembered what he was here for, so much fear that she thought it would burst out of her chest. "Clark-"

"Later, Lois," he interrupted, his expression turning serious and the light leaving his eyes. "You can tell me whatever you want … just, do it … after."

At the meaning behind his words, her eyes filled with tears. He continued to watch her intently, the sunset making his eyes glow. As Lois watched him, she tried to memorize the moment – the feel of his hand on hers, the look on his face, the pounding of her heart. She never wanted to forget, no matter what happened.

When she couldn't take in anymore, she nodded her agreement. Releasing the breath he was holding, letting out a soft growl, Clark capture Lois' face in his hands, kissing her in a way that made her knees go weak.

Opening her eyes when he pulled away, she caught a glimpse of the bride and groom over his shoulder, sealing their promises with a kiss.

Seeing the other two finalize their vows was like standing on the roof of the Chronicle – a reminder that her efforts had made a difference. Like that night she felt resolute, giving a bright smile to the man who had pledged himself to her.

Some things were just meant to be.

Her heart swelled with hope.

That's when the ground started rumbling.


	15. Epilogue The End of the Beginning

**Sorry, it took so long. I really wanted the end to be satisfying. I hope it is…**

**EPILOGUE … the end of the beginning.**

_Some things were just meant to be._

_Her heart swelled with hope._

_That's when the ground started rumbling_ …

_**Watchtower, thirty minutes later**_

Lois stood at the large, round stained glass window and look out at the lights of the city. She ran a hand through the hair that she kept short and dark, more out of habit than necessity now, wishing that this was over. The longer everything took - the longer she was here - the more she could mess up.

Would this ever be over? She thought that she'd succeeded when she'd returned to her younger body almost three years ago. Then she'd discovered that as a result of her actions, a monster would escape and undo everything she'd worked so hard for.

She couldn't allow that to happen.

So, here she was again, trying to prevent the complete destruction of the Earth and its greatest protector.

At least she wasn't alone this time.

Her Clark was doing his best to protect the city from Doomsday, keeping the beast contained and injuries and damage to a minimum. For now he'd been able to keep the thing inside Shark's stadium.

She could see him now, if she wanted to, on the screens that made up the heart of Watchtower. J'onn had tapped into the stadium's security cameras and was monitoring every angle of the fight, but Lois couldn't look. She felt helpless every time that monster pounded on her Clark.

It was frustrating, just standing there waiting. She was still a woman of action, used to being in the middle of combat, not that she could do much this time.

Doomsday could kill her with one blow.

_Unless… _

She shook her head violently as the crazy idea popped into her head.

_Clark would never go for it._

Still, if Chloe was right, it wasn't Clark's decision before…

Lois turned to J'onn in an effort to distract herself from her foolish thoughts, her mind still on her cousin. "We haven't heard from Chloe for at least two minutes," she noted with sarcasm.

"I'm believe she is on her way here," J'onn said quietly, glancing at Lois out of the corner of his eye. "None of them will be able to stay away."

Lois sighed. "I know," she told him ruefully.

He typed something into the keyboard. "Should you be here?"

"I don't think it's going to make a difference now," Lois shrugged. "They've probably already seen my Clark, and Lois - your Lois - knows I'm here. If this doesn't end soon, they'll all need to understand…"

Lois let her voice drift away, worse case scenarios playing in her head. She and Garth had run enough simulations for her to know exactly what and how much could go wrong. With that in mind Lois gasped when she saw Doomsday deliver a particularly powerful blow that sent Clark flying down the length of the football field.

Once she started watching, Lois couldn't tear her eyes away. She stayed where she was, seemingly glued to the floor as Doomsday and her Clark traded blows. Even from a distance, she could see that the fight was brutal. Her heart was already pounding when the doors to Watchtower blew open, and she jumped in surprise.

When Lois tore her eyes away from the monitors, she saw the groom, still dressed in his tuxedo vest, shirt and pants, breeze in with Chloe in his arms. The bridesmaid was no longer wearing her dress, and was all business before Clark even lowered her feet to the floor.

"J'onn, what's going on? You haven't been answering the com or your phone." In pants and a jacket, Chloe made a beeline for the computer equipment just as Clark sped back out. "What are you doing?"

Not waiting for an answer, muttering to herself while her fingers danced furiously along the keys, Lois caught a few words like "team" and "disappear for a few months" before Chloe managed to zoom in on one of the screens to a fallen Clark. Dressed in his all-black Legion suit, he was blocking additional blows from the red-eyed beast.

"By the way, who is that?" Chloe asked, waving a hand in the direction of the screen as she turned to J'onn. "Last time I checked there was only one Clark running around…"

Chloe's words trailed off as she followed the slight movement of the Martian's head toward the window. Her eyes widened when she saw who was standing in front of the stained glass.

Her head swiveled around the room. "Wait a min-"

Before she could say anything else, the groom blurred in, carrying a red-faced Oliver in his arms. He'd barely stopped before his passenger jumped to the floor.

"Man, don't ever do that again," he told Clark. "I am _not _one of the ladies."

Clark smirked. "Do you want me to throw you over my shoulder next time-"

"Now that you mention it …" Oliver replied, trailing off when he saw Clark's eyes widening. He turned to follow his friend's gaze …

And Lois found herself looking into three sets of wide eyes.

Out of the blue, green and brown, it was the look in the blue of the groom's that held her attention. He took a step forward and stopped, his gaze taking in the shorter hair and the bits of scar visible above the turtle-neck. His shocked expression returned to hers. "It's you," he whispered.

A soft smile was the only response Lois could manage as she watched the myriad of expressions cross his face. Even though there wasn't an age difference between him and her Clark, he seemed so much younger, still so much a boy to her, untarnished by the Darkness and its fallout.

Her protective instincts kicked in and she remembered why she was here. "Clark, you need to-"

"Who the hell is that?" Oliver interrupted, his wide eyes taking in the screens and the efforts of the man in black.

Clark turned and, at the vision on the screens, his eyes widened. "Is that …?" He turned back to Lois, his voice trailing off at the look on her face.

Before she could answer, he turned back to the screens and studied the man fighting the beast. Straightening, he took in a deep breath, and Lois couldn't hold back her smile. Standing like that, he looked so much like the hero he was destined to be.

"I need to help him."

"No," Lois almost shouted, running down the stairs to grab his arm. "You can't."

Clark looked down at her hand and his face turned stony. "This is my problem," he told her. "I put Doomsday underground in the first place." His head turned as if he couldn't face her any longer. "I need to fix this."

Mentally, Lois felt her eyes roll. _Damn Kryptonian guilt …_

She searched for the right words, vaguely aware of Chloe coordinating with the team, trying to get them to set up a perimeter and stay behind it. "Stay back for now, the creature's skin is impenetrable," she was telling them.

Clark's gaze seemed to go from Chloe to the monitors and back. Lois could practically see his anxiety. It was killing him not to help.

"Clark you could get _him_ killed." Lois' soft words were filled with anguish, for both men.

"What do you mean?" He asked her, brows furrowing as he turned back to watch the man on the monitors.

"You know what you felt when you came into contact with your future self?" Lois asked. At Clark's nod, she continued. "If you get too close, you could make him dizzy and nauseous as well." When Clark opened his mouth to argue, Lois interrupted. "We can't take that chance. One little distraction and that could be the end …"

Clark's lips pressed together, but he said nothing.

"Let _him_ handle Doomsday," she pleaded, seeing that Clark was at least considering her arguments.

"I could be part of the perimeter," Clark pointed out, clearly not ready to give up the fight. "Then, if Doomsday breaks free …"

Shaking her head, Lois sighed. He would never stop trying to help without a reason, or a distraction. "Uhm, there's something you need to do somewhere else," she told him as her crazy idea started to take shape. Maybe it would work. "I… I could use your help." She hesitated for just a second, thinking about the pros and cons. Even if it didn't work, there wasn't a downside that she could see.

Making up her mind, she didn't wait for Clark's response. "I need you to take me to the Fortress."

"The Fortress?" Clark exclaimed, lowering his voice at Lois' expression. "What does Jor-El have to do with any of this?"

Lois pressed her lips together, wanting to keep her plans to herself. If Clark knew what she was thinking, he would never go along…

Clark's look grew frustrated. "I've already talked to Jor-El about Doomsday-"

"Look, we haven't explored every option there …" Lois stopped, trying to consider her words carefully. She rolled her eyes at the difficulty she had keeping things from Clark, even when it wasn't _her_ Clark. "I have some questions of my own," she said pointedly, holding Clark's gaze while trying not to give anything more away.

Finally, Clark nodded his understanding.

Lois released the breath she didn't realize she was holding and waited while Clark informed the team. To her surprise no one objected, especially when Clark explained the problem with doubles from different times trying to work side by side.

"If nothing else, Jor-El knows what this creature is made of," Chloe remarked. "Maybe, for once, he can give us some _useful_ advice." Chloe didn't wait before she turned back to the monitors. "In the meantime, your doppelganger seems to be managing here."

Oliver caught Clark's wince and slapped his friend on the back. "We need you, Clark, just not right here, right now," he said sympathetically. "Keep in touch by the com and we'll let you know if anything happens."

Clark nodded while Oliver looked curiously at the shorter-haired Lois before turning to the lockers with a shrug. Lois kept her smile to herself. He was telling her that while he trusted Clark, he wasn't sure about her. Lois could live with that.

She looked around one last time and breathed a sigh of relief. Right now, everyone that should be here was here.

_Except for one._

She turned to Clark. "Where is your bride?"

_**Daily Planet, same time**_

"Okay, people," Lois Lane-Kent clapped her hands to get the attention of the few reporters who'd been called back to the newsroom.

"We have some sort of monster loose in the city - or at least loose in Shark's stadium." She paused to let those words sink in. "Where'd it come from? Who's fighting it? Is it related to the tremors we've been experiencing?" Lois paused and looked around at the chaos with a frown. "I want some answers, people."

She sighed at the confusion she saw in their faces.

Where was Tess when they needed her? A little direction from the top would be helpful right now.

Still, Lois had been promoted, in part, because she knew how to get things going in an emergency. This monster or whatever it was running around the city was definitely an emergency. That's why, as soon as Lois found out that Clark was helping Oliver and the team, she asked him to super speed her to work.

Even as a new bride, Lois wasn't made to sit around and wait so, while Clark was doing his job, she would be doing hers. Getting the news - reporting what was happening - that was her work, her purpose. Besides, she needed to be busy if she was going to be her husband's number one supporter.

_Her husband._

Lois felt her eyes drift to her ring. A ghost of a smile played around her lips. She was married… to Clark Kent. Her body shivered a little at the thought.

"Ms. Lane," one of the new reporters called out. "I've heard the city's being evacuated. Uhm, should we be here?"

Lois snapped out of her reverie. "It's Lane-Kent," she told the kid. "And, yes, this is exactly where we need to be." Her hand waved toward the screens littered around the room, showing blurred images of the creature. "Do you want radio and television to get all the details?" she asked. "There's more to this that meets the eye and we're going to find it." Facing the reporters with confidence, she nodded with satisfaction when the confusion evaporated and her people reached for their phones. "You're all reporters. Talk to your sources … investigate … chop, chop."

Walking briskly through the news room, she glanced around one last time to make sure that everyone was following her directions, and then headed toward her office.

When she reached it, she closed the door and grabbed her phone, hoping to find out what was going on at Watchtower.

Before she could enter her super-secret number, the door to her office burst open and Jimmy bounced in, camera in one hand, paper in another. He'd discarded his jacket but was still wearing the dress pants, shirt and bowtie he'd worn to the wedding. "Lois, you've got to see this." He ran to the television that was mounted in the corner and turned it on. The volume was off.

"Someone got this _thing_ on their cell phone," he exclaimed. "Watch."

Grainy images appeared on the screen. Lois could see what looked like the outline of a large beast but not much else. The sun had set and the sky was darkening. As a result the images were gray and dim. Then it stormed toward a car in the street, raising massive arms, and Lois got her first good look.

That's when she realized she knew this monster …

_Oh, God. Doomsday._

Her heart constricted with fear. Of all of Clark's enemies, of all the challenges he'd faced, this creature was the one that still gave her nightmares. Part of it was her own guilt for helping Chloe to hide Davis, but most of it came from the memories she had of Clark's first battle with the beast. It had been brutal and, for a while, Lois had been truly afraid that Clark would be killed.

After all, Doomsday was created for killing.

Her stomach tightened as the footage wavered. The creature was facing the camera now and she could see the red eyes. Her stomach fell as she watched the beast stomp toward the nearest car. People were running and screaming. The entire scene was chaos. The doors to the closest car opened and the people inside scattered.

As Lois watched, the back seat passenger tripped and went down. The beast changed direction and headed toward the fallen man, who seemed frozen. Before Doomsday could strike, a figure swooped in from above and grabbed the beast under its massive arms.

To Lois' amazement, the flying man all dressed in black was able to lift Doomsday into the air. They struggled and Lois felt herself holding her breath. It was obvious that the man was using incredible strength just to hang on. Eventually, the man in black was able to fly away holding Doomsday beneath him. They headed in the direction of Shark's stadium.

As the footage ended and the announcers came back on the news, Lois turned to Jimmy and released the breath she was holding. "Who was that?"

Jimmy's response was both surprised and excited. "Didn't you see the symbol on his chest?"

Her brow wrinkled as she reviewed the scene in her mind. She shook her head. "No, I couldn't see any markings … or his face," Lois grew irritated as Jimmy's grin widened. "His clothes were dark," she reminded him.

"Yes, but if you look closely you can see it… a white symbol on his chest." Jimmy leaned across the desk and showed her the paper in his hand. It was a grainy photo that he'd taken from the television footage and blown up. "Look there," he pointed.

Lois squinted and spotted it. Her eyes met Jimmy's.

"It's him," Jimmy told her excitedly. "It's the Blur … and he's flying."

Lois tried to keep her features contained but, inside her thoughts were churning. The Blur? Had Clark changed his outfit in the last two days? What about flying? Was it possible that he got a new ability and didn't tell her? Sure, the past few days had been a whirlwind but she was pretty sure Clark would have told her if he'd learned to fly.

Jimmy was practically dancing in front of her desk, clearly excited by this latest development. As her silence continued, his face fell a little. Lois sighed. These were the times that she hated the fact that Jimmy wasn't in on the secret. When it came to the Blur, Jimmy was still a little too enthusiastic about the story.

Lois, on the other hand, was trying to protect her husband. Every day, it got harder and harder. As Lois kept telling Clark, he needed a better disguise.

"Lois?" Jimmy asked tentatively.

Her phone went off before she could answer. Grateful for the interruption Lois answered without checking the caller ID.

"Lane, here," she said, holding up a finger to stall Jimmy.

It was Tess, the missing boss. Lois wasn't surprised when she got right to the point, giving orders in a strained voice. "Lois, I need you upstairs now." She paused for a minute and Lois could swear that she heard her gasp as if in pain. "It's important."

"I'll be right there," Lois told her, not wanting to feed the rumor mill that the boss had returned just yet. The tone of Tess' voice told her something was wrong. She closed the phone and answered Jimmy's confused expression. "One of the 'mucky-muck's' upstairs wants an update," she told him. "See if you can clear up that photo and we'll talk about it when I get back."

"Okay," Jimmy told her, nodding his head. As he took off, Lois sighed and headed for the elevator, her thoughts returning to the man in black.

Was that really Clark? Was he flying now? If so, why hadn't he told her?

_**Metropolis, fifteen minutes later**_

Beneath his black Legion suit, Clark hurt. His body ached. Doomsday was strong, _really strong_, and Clark hadn't felt pain like this since wrestling with the Darkness. He landed another blow that sent the beast soaring into the stands. Staggering a little with the effort, he tried to think of a way he could secure the creature, but nothing came to mind.

At least he had the damn thing contained in the stadium, limiting its ability to kill.

Ready to follow up, Clark felt a giant fist hit him under the jaw. The blow knocked him into the seats and he barely had time to shake it off before Doomsday was on him again. For its incredible size, the beast was fast. That was part of the problem; it didn't leave him with a lot of time to think. He cursed his own inattention.

Getting to his feet, Clark managed to land a punch to the creature's middle and felt the rewarding impact. While he still wasn't using _all_ of his strength, it was more than he'd used in a long time. There was something satisfying about being able to let go.

Pushing himself this way was cathartic but, mixed in with the release of his guilt, anger, and self-loathing, were the few memories he still had of his time with the Darkness, memories he'd worked hard to suppress.

With a painful blow to the back Clark returned his thoughts to the fight. His mind was wandering and that wasn't good. Rolling over quickly, he spun away with the realization that he was wrestling with his demons tonight as much as he was with this creature.

Spinning, he managed to kick its massive legs out from under it. Using all his strength, Clark pinned Doomsday to the ground and held it there. His eyes met the red ones of the beast and he shuddered.

_Red eyes …_

They reminded him of his first encounter with the Darkness, when he'd confronted Godfrey about his anti-hero rhetoric. Arrogant, overly confident in his abilities, Clark had been certain that he could take down Godfrey and his group. He didn't understand then that his strength was useless against the Darkness. It preyed upon weakness...

"_Ah, the Blur; to what do I owe this-" Godfrey started._

"_Just stop," Clark interrupted bitterly. "I know you're trying to turn the people against me. I'm here to stop you."_

"_I haven't turned the people against you; you've done that yourself," Godfrey replied, lowering his eyes to study his fingernails nonchalantly. When Clark didn't respond, he raised his unnaturally black orbs with an earnest expression. "It doesn't have to be this way," he cajoled. "They could worship you … love you." Godfrey took a small step forward. "We can give you that."_

"_Who's 'we'?" Clark asked, resisting the urge to step back. There was something unwholesome about this guy and, for the first time in a long time, Clark was starting to feel afraid. "I don't want anything you have to offer."_

"_Are you sure?" Godfrey's smile was sinister. "For a hero, you have your own dark side, don't you?"_

_Without warning, a shadow slithered from Godfrey's body. Clark stepped back in surprise as it began to turn itself into a smoke screen of sorts. When scenes from Clark's past began to play out on the screen Clark stopped and stared in horror. Images of himself acting under the influence of red Kryptonite flowed across the screen. He watched himself leave his loved ones and hurt his friends and family. He watched as those closest to him died or left… Ryan, Alicia, his father, Pete, Lana and even Lex. Finally, as the images faded, he was surrounded by Cassandra's vision, standing all alone in the midst of his loved ones' tombstones._

_Clark struggled against the pain, anger and fear that the images brought forth. He tried valiantly to push the visions away, but how do you fight yourself and your fears? Assaulted by waves of shame and uncertainty, he started backing away, hoping to run. He had to get out of there. _

_It was then that the shadow changed and began to take shape. Again, Clark could only stop and stare as the smoke screen took form in the figure of Lois Lane. Somehow Clark knew that the image was taken from his memory - one that had burned itself deep into his subconscious. She was completely naked, her hair still wet from the shower, as she approached him. This time, instead of coming at him with a scrub brush, her body moved forward seductively. He swallowed hard as her form solidified with each step and she became real. By the time she was close enough to touch, his heart was beating almost painfully in his chest. _

_When he finally managed to look at her face, her expression - one of intense desire and longing – set his heart to racing. Like a siren everything about her called to him, whispering that she was made for him… just for him. Deep down, his rational side was telling him not to listen, but seeing her sent his emotions into overdrive. He wanted her, so desperately. Just looking at her eased the lonely ache in his chest. She was the only one who could ever do that. _

_With that one almost simple admission, Clark unleashed years of pent-up desire. He took a step forward… and then another. His emotions were screaming to him that if looking could ease the pain, then touching could do so much more. In two steps his chest was almost touching hers. With one deep breath he could feel the heat of her skin through his black t-shirt. Slowly, he reached out his hand to touch her face. The rational side of his brain screamed a warning - too good to be true - but he shoved it aside. He wanted her. No, he needed her. He'd been alone for too long. _

_It was when he touched the curve of her jaw that as sliver of the Darkness separated itself from her form and made its way into his body._

_The last thing Clark remembered was seeing her eyes turn red …_

Still lost in the memory, Clark felt his grip weaken. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Doomsday exploded under his grasp. Using its muscles, the beast managed to throw him off and rise to its feet. Clark cursed his continued inattention, struggling to keep his own feet underneath him. With a crack, Clark's back hit the only goal post still standing and, without looking, he reached behind and ripped it from the ground. With one motion he sent in spiraling toward the creature. In response, Doomsday waved one massive arm and sent it flying off in another direction.

Clark didn't care. Using his speed, he snatched the posts from mid-air before tackling Doomsday and pinning the creature to the seats. Using the goal posts, Clark wrapped them around the beast before jumping back and spraying the entire area with his freeze breath. A thick sheet of ice formed around the creature and the posts.

He knew the ice wouldn't hold but at least he could get a few seconds to clear his mind … and think. He couldn't afford to let his thoughts ramble anymore. Desperately, he looked around, searching for any way of dispatching Doomsday without killing it.

That's when it hit him.

He wasn't interested in killing Doomsday. Having been down that road once, he didn't want to go there again. Under the influence of the Darkness he'd killed more than he ever thought possible … and learned that taking a life left its mark. Even now he felt the effects… and he couldn't recall the specifics of most of the kills.

His scars ran deep.

Ironically, it was Davis who left the first one. Already blinded by loneliness and grief - Clark had lost Lois, Lana, and was losing Chloe to that monster - he'd listened when Oliver suggested they get rid of the human murderer first.

Davis was Clark's first execution, and it was all downhill from there.

Now, the thought of killing even this creature made him physically ill.

A voice whispered in his head that maybe he wasn't the man for the job but he shoved the thought aside. That was his uncertainty talking, a residue of the Darkness. There was no one else. He'd been honest when he told J'onn that the world needed Clark of the present. _He_ was destined to be Superman.

A reformed Nightdidn't have the same destiny.

Still, he owed something to humanity for all he'd taken. Now was as good a time as any to give back. That's why he agreed to this suicide mission, not that Lois would acknowledge that's what it was. Sometimes she was as optimistic as the budding Superman.

Without warning her voice sounded in his head. _Snap out of it, Kent … and think._

He reviewed the simulations they'd run in the future. None of them ended satisfactorily. Every single attempt to hold or remove the creature ended in death.

The problem was that Doomsday was designed to adapt as well as to destroy. Its adaptive qualities meant Clark couldn't bury it underground again. He also knew that he couldn't use Kryptonite on it because Doomsday had been exposed to pieces of his radioactive home world in the past. He didn't want to send it to the Phantom Zone when he knew that some of the Kandorians were there. Not even Zod deserved to face Doomsday.

Briefly, he considered taking the beast to the future but rejected the idea. While the Legion had the ability to contain it, Davis lived in the future as well, working with the Legion. In every simulation, reuniting the two of them ended up making things worse.

Clark sighed. There had to be something else. He just wasn't thinking clearly. He bent over to take in a couple of deep breaths while keeping his eyes on the monster … and his mind wandered again… this time to the chapel.

The look on Lois' face when he proposed had been priceless. It wasn't often that he took her by surprise.

Feeling a smirk at the thought, Clark straightened with confidence. He needed to do whatever it took to get back to her.

He really wanted to hear her answer.

A cracking noise interrupted his thoughts just as metal exploded in all directions. Pieces flew toward Clark and he was caught in the barrage. Using the opportunity it created, Doomsday lunged forward and with one powerful leap blasted through the exit doors.

Cursing under his breath Clark sped out behind it, feeling real fear for the people of the city. His heart tightened in his chest as he watched his options narrow. He wouldn't let this creature hurt anyone else.

He may have to kill it after all.

_**The Fortress, ten minutes later**_

As the groom lowered Lois' feet to the crystal floor, she took a deep breath and tried to steady herself. Traveling by super speed was a little more disorienting than flying.

"Are you all right?" Clark asked her.

Lois nodded, not trusting her voice just yet, and looked around. Clark's crystal Fortress never failed to impress.

"Kal-El, my son, why are you here?"

The booming voice of Jor-El made Lois jump and she grimaced. After two years in the future, she should be used to artificial intelligence - and disembodied voices - by now.

Waiting for Clark to answer, she looked at him and caught his questioning glance. He motioned for her to speak, and she frowned. He mocked her expression, reminding her without words that this was her idea. Clearing her throat, she answered. "Uhm, Doomsday's escaped, and we're looking for ways to defeat it."

"As I have told Kal-El before, Doomsday cannot be defeated by anything on Earth." Jor-El's voice sounded almost impatient.

At the tone of the computer voice, Lois felt her nerves snap. "Look, we don't have a choice here. It will destroy everything and everyone on this planet unless it's stopped," Lois paused, leading up to her idea. "Clark's not from Earth. Can he defeat Doomsday?"

"Yes," Jor-El's voice sounded almost hesitant. "But it will take more strength than he's ever used before."

"Would it be easier if there were two with Clark's powers?" Lois asked, noticing Clark's body jerk at her question. His eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"That's not possible."

"What if I told you that a Clark from the future was here fighting Doomsday as we speak," Lois said.

There was a pause and Clark impatiently spoke up. "I thought you said-"

Lois held up her hand and he stopped, his pursed lips showing his frustration.

"An unusual circumstance," Jor-El remarked. "But not a great help. I do not believe that two Kal-Els from different times would be able to combine resources to defeat Doomsday. My studies in the area of time travel tell me that each would be weakened by their own proximity to the other-"

"Exactly," Lois interrupted, growing excited now. "But what if Clark's powers were given to someone else temporarily-"

"What… what are you talking about?" Clark interjected. Something in her face must have shown what she had in mind. "No," he exclaimed, just as Jor-El answered.

"What exactly are you suggesting, Lois Lane?"

"A few days ago you gave Clark's powers to the Lois of this time… as a lesson in understanding." Lois fought the urge to roll her eyes at Jor-El's machinations. "Can you do it again?"

She ignored Clark's hands on her shoulders as he turned her to face him. "No, you can't-"

"If you give Clark's powers to me, then I can help future Clark and we can put an end to Doomsday once and for all." She looked at the groom's stricken face. "It would only be temporary," she said in a quieter voice. "Please, Clark …"

His expression was anguished. "What if something happened?" At Lois' eye roll, his hands squeezed her shoulders. "I couldn't forgive myself … _he_ wouldn't be able to forgive-"

"Lois Lane," Jor-El interrupted. "Those powers were for Kal-El's life mate-"

"I _am _Kal-El's life mate … in the future," Lois countered. "…or I will be," she muttered under her breath. "Shouldn't I receive the same consideration as his wife in this time?"

"Your past experiences already give you a greater understanding."

"I don't really want the powers for increased understanding. I want to use them to help my Clark… my future husband," To her chagrin, Lois felt the tears in her eyes. Impatiently, she blinked them away. Jor-El would not respond to an emotional plea. "It may be the only way to save Earth." As Lois spoke to Jor-El she kept her eyes glued to Clark's.

"Maybe if you supported this…" she hissed, searching each of his blue eyes in turn.

Clark whispered furiously back at her, "Maybe if you'd let me in on this from the beginning-"

"Your plan has merit, Lois Lane, but it is not without risk," Jor-El's voice interrupted. "You will be fighting a creature that knows no boundaries and you will be fighting with powers never used by you before."

Lois nodded. "I understand, but this monster is too dangerous. It's worth the risk."

Jor-El hesitated for a brief moment. "Of course, Kal-El must agree to this transfer. These are his powers and you are not _his_ life mate."

The stubborn tilt of Clark's jaw, combined with the thin line of his mouth, told Lois what his answer would be before he even opened his mouth.

"Please, Clark," she whispered, watching his face soften a little. "Clark is only evenly matched with Doomsday. He is not more powerful," Lois paused to let that sink in, watching the groom's eyes widen slightly. "That means he could be killed… you could be killed… your wife could die, your mom, the team… everyone."

He winced and Lois pushed her advantage. "With two of us having powers, we could defeat Doomsday once and for all." She walked forward and grabbed Clark's arms. "The transfer would only be temporary," she pleaded with her eyes. "And if we don't succeed you're still no worse off than you were before."

When Clark turned his eyes away from hers, Lois knew he was trying to think it through. She didn't push, trying to be patient. She dropped her arms but kept her eyes on his face.

"Why are you doing this?"

Lois looked down, feeling the irony of cursing Clark's guilt when she had plenty of her own. "Because … this isn't your fault, Clark." With a deep breath, Lois raised her eyes back to his. "It's mine." At his brows ascended, she continued. "Three years ago, the Legion sent me back to help you… to save the world from a… darkness. It worked, but something else was changed." Her eyes wandered around the Fortress again. "Doomsday wasn't supposed to escape…"

"Why won't you let me help?" Clark's anguished question tore at Lois' heart.

"You can't," she answered with a cry of her own.

"Why not?" Clark's shouted, clearly frustrated with her non-answers.

Annoyed and afraid, Lois shouted back the truth, "Because you'll die!"

There was only silence in response. Lois watched as expressions of doubt, fear, concern and determination crossed Clark's face.

"If that's what it takes-" he began softly.

"No, Clark," Lois interrupted. "You don't understand…" Lois paced as she tried to think a way to explain. "You've seen some of the future, right?" She sighed when his expression turned wary. "I know Brainiac Five stole a ring and showed you the future," she told him with a grimace. "It was my damn ring."

Clark's expression changed to one of shock and she continued. "Didn't you see - even just a few years from now - how important you are?" When he remained silent, Lois raised her hands in the air in exasperation. "Unbelievable," she muttered. "You still don't know your own value, do you?"

Before he could respond, she tilted her head stubbornly and continued. "Trust me on this… if you die, even worse things will happen in the future than Doomsday." She reached out and touched his arm pleadingly. "Let me do this… please."

Clark considered her hand for a moment, returning his gaze to her eyes. Hazel never wavered as Lois continued to regard him steadily.

"Jor-El, can there be a time limit?" Clark didn't take his eyes from Lois'. "I don't want to lose my powers for an entire day."

"Yes, my son, I can limit the time to a span of hours, if you wish."

Clark's frown told her that he wasn't happy with his decision. "You have two hours," he told Lois.

Impulsively she hugged him. "Thank you, thank you," she repeated, holding him tighter.

When he tried to pull away, she let go. "Ouch," he said, rubbing his arms.

"It is done," Jor-El announced.

Chagrined, Lois studied her hands. "Sorry," she told Clark.

"Are you all right?" He asked, looking closely at her smiling face.

With a sudden rush, Lois realized she was feeling extraordinary… light and solid at the same time. The feeling of power was incredible. Her smile widened as she began to believe in her plan. "I feel… super," she said, laughing at her own pun.

The future Superman just looked at her in astonishment and shook his head. "It's amazing to me how you can make light of a serious moment… in any time, evidently."

Even though she knew Clark didn't intend it as a criticism, Lois immediately sobered. She needed to focus if she was going to help her Clark and the people of the city. Feeling all-powerful wasn't enough. She needed to be able to use her new abilities.

Clark caught her gaze and nodded. "Try your speed," he advised.

"Easy enough," Lois remarked, her body responding almost before she could form the thought. When she ended up outside, yards from her intended mark, up to her knees in the snow, she cursed. "Okay, so it's not so easy," she muttered when her super hearing suddenly picked up the sound of Clark's concerned voice.

"Lois… get back here!"

Feeling a little less confident, Lois sped back to the Fortress with her hands over her ears, Clark's words pounding against her skull, as her super hearing kicked in.

Two hours may not be enough_._

_**Daily Planet, same time**_

Once the elevator arrived on the upstairs floor, Lois barged into Tess' office without knocking and froze when she caught a glimpse of her boss. One look at her injuries and all of Lois' questions but one flew right out the window.

"What the hell happened to you?"

Tess winced and put a hand to her black eye. She didn't touch the other numerous cuts on her face or the scratches that Lois could see on her hands and arms. "Tess?" Lois lowered her voice and softened her tone. "Are you all right?"

At the sympathy she heard, Tess straightened. "I'm fine," she responded quickly, turning to look out her office window. She took a slow drink of the amber liquid in the glass she was holding.

"Where have you been?" Lois asked, moving a little closer to the desk, still recovering from the shock of seeing Tess in such condition.

"It doesn't matter," she replied, keeping her eyes on the window. "I've seen the news footage. It's Doomsday, isn't it?"

Catching her boss' bruised eyes in the reflection of the glass, Lois nodded. There was nothing more that needed to be said. Tess understood the threat.

"He won't be able to destroy it," Tess studied her drink contemplatively.

Lois' thoughts returned to the man in black who could fly and, for the first time, she remembered her doppelganger from the future. Maybe there was a connection. "He may not be alone in this."

Tess released her breath. "Good," she remarked, turning to face Lois. "I think I have a solution," she told her, nodding in the direction of her desk. "A more … permanent solution."

"What is this?" Lois asked, picking up what looked like a mirror box. She examined the jagged edges at one end and the markings, similar yet different from the one Clark had shown her.

Tess took another drink, drew in a sharp breath, and touched her split lip. "It's exactly what you think it is."

"But the mirror boxes were destroyed …" Lois' comment was as much a question as an observation.

"That's what we thought," Tess told her, studying the device with unease. "It appears that Lionel found another one… it connects this reality to completely different one that we've seen before. The new reality… well, it had what he was looking for."

"Which was… ?"

"Lex," Tess answered, and in her voice were equal amounts of respect and disgust.

Lois was flabbergasted. "Lionel found Lex … with this?"

Turning to meet Lois' gaze, Tess nodded. "And he used it to bring him here." She drew in a shuddering breath. "There's a Lex Luthor running around in our world right now." Her gaze turned to the broken box in Lois' hands. "Unfortunately, Lionel didn't get the son he was hoping for."

"What do you mean?" Lois asked.

Tess' answer was evasive. "Lionel studied the mirror boxes - took some time at Clark Luthor's Fortress to learn about them - just hoping to find another Lex after his first born in that reality died." Absentmindedly, Tess rubbed at her black eye. "He was obsessed," she added, wincing and taking another drink.

"Tess, let me call Emil-"

"No," Tess said sharply. "No," she repeated calming herself. "I'm all right." Taking a deep breath, Tess walked over to the couch and sat down. "Anyway, somewhat understandably, Lex wasn't happy to be 'retrieved' by Lionel," She took another sip of her drink and stared down at it. "They fought and Lionel did something - I don't know what it was - but it broke the mirror box. Then he tried to send Lex through it, ranting about 'this one' being useless." She looked at Lois. "According to Lionel, using a broken mirror box will send you between dimensions."

"You believe him?" Lois said, skeptical of anything Lionel may have discovered.

"I do," Tess replied calmly. "This Lex knows how to fight. Lionel lost control. I heard him scream … tried to follow," her eyes glazed over. "There was nothing there… where he went. I saw it … it was black. There was nothing."

"How did you get back here?"

Tess cleared her throat and glanced up to the box. Her eyes didn't quite meet Lois'. "Lex pulled me back. Evidently we work together in his world and, right now, I'm useful to him …"

"What do you expect me to do?" Lois turned the box in her hands. There was a part of her that was frightened by its powers… ever since she and Emil had to fight to get Clark back from the alternate reality, just the thought of the device made her nervous. On top of that, she didn't trust the Luthors - Lionel or Lex - and something about Tess' voice when she mentioned her brother made Lois squeamish.

Green eyes met hazel. "Use it, or get it to someone who can," Tess told her, looking back down at her drink. "I don't know about you, but I'd like to keep this world in one piece."

Lois considered her boss' lowered head and carefully chosen words. Something was going on. During their discussion Tess hadn't mentioned Watchtower, the team, the Blur or Clark. She was being careful for some reason and Lois was pretty sure that this new Lex was behind whatever it was.

Her boss' next words confirmed it. "I need to return to my brother," she told Lois, getting up off the couch and sitting down her drink. "I think you can manage with that."

Lois barely avoided rolling her eyes, resisting the urge to tell Tess that warming up to any member of her family was a bad idea. "I'll see what I can do," she responded, backing to the door. She paused for a moment, remembering that Tess was still the boss. "Oh, and I've got reporters on the story, as well."

"Good," Tess answered, turning her back to Lois. "I may not be around here for a while… Randall will be in charge while I'm gone."

"Okay," Lois answered softly, something in Tess' stance telling her that her boss was well aware of her family's shortcomings, and was protecting the team. Quietly she closed the door and hesitated, choking back a sudden rush of emotions.

Her gut was telling her that she may have just seen her boss, at least as a friend and ally, for the last time.

_**Metro Park, over one hour later**_

Lois cursed her own lack of planning. Whatever strategy she had went out the window the minute she saw the creature. Strength, power, and speed weren't going to be enough. Doomsday had all those things… and something else. The monster wasn't afraid.

After learning the basics, Lois super sped to the city, carrying a very unhappy Clark. She deposited him at Watchtower before heading closer to the creature and her Clark. She heard the fighting first… and then felt the blows. It wasn't until she spotted them in the middle of the street that she felt uncertain. The monster was massive, its deadly spines and red eyes sending terror through her. This _thing _was created for killing. It had no other thought, no other desire, and no other concern.

Unfortunately Lois knew she had plenty of other thoughts, desires and concerns. She wanted to stay alive, protect the city, and say "yes" to the man that she loved. And she was afraid… afraid that she'd never get to do those things.

Would that keep her from doing what needed to be done? She hoped not.

_Too late for second thoughts now, Lane._

As she watched from the empty sidewalk, Doomsday punched her Clark under the jaw and sent him flying. Without hesitation, shoving aside her fear, she went low and hit the beast in the back of the legs. It dropped to the street with her on top and slid along the pavement, leaving a three foot trench. Working to keep it on the ground, Lois looked around for Clark and found him standing in front of her, seemingly frozen in place.

"Little help here," she panted out, feeling the creature's muscles bunch beneath her. It was going to try to buck her off.

Clark seemed to snap out of it at the sound of her voice. He put one foot on Doomsday's shoulder and applied pressure. When he spoke, his tone was furious. "What the hell are you doing?"

The creature's muscles tightened further. "Helping you," Lois shouted, applying more pressure to hold the beast in place.

While they stared at each other, Doomsday continued to test each of its muscles in turn. Before Clark could respond, Doomsday erupted from the ground, shaking them both off and making a dash for the park.

Clark immediately followed at super speed, Lois right behind him.

When they got ahead of the beast, Clark stopped it with a blow to the chest. "I don't want your help," he told her furiously.

"Too bad," Lois shouted back. Reaching for one of the nearby trees, she pulled it out of the ground and swung it at the creature. Unfortunately, she hit it a little too hard and the beast went flying fifty yards into the park.

Clark watched for a brief second before following. "Great," he muttered under his breath.

Following behind, Lois picked up Clark's remark with her super hearing. Irritated with his attitude, she put on a burst of speed and passed him, reaching the beast first. Again she tried to tackle it from behind but this time the monster side-stepped the attack.

"It adapts," Clark shouted, coming at it from the side.

"I remember," Lois muttered under her own breath. "We need a strategy," she told Clark in a louder voice.

He shrugged and, before Lois could lose her temper, she saw something in his expression. Clark didn't want to kill it.

He didn't have to say the words. They were reflected in the darkness of his gaze, in the combination of patience and dread she saw in the blue depths.

Her heart seemed to stop and, for the first time since she'd asked him to return with her, doubt consumed her. Even when she'd been afraid, she'd never really doubted certain that her Clark could take care of anything. His reaction to the fight wasn't something she'd considered and she should have. After all, she was intimately familiar with his fears, his doubts, and the scars he carried.

She should never have asked him to come back with her. The scenarios she'd run with Garth hadn't prepared her for this. She'd been so worried about protecting the future Superman that she hadn't considered her own Clark's reactions.

Maybe taking on her own powers was the best decision she'd made as part of this mess. At least she had the ability to handle things herself, if it came to that.

Could she kill the beast? She wasn't sure but, if she couldn't, she wouldn't force Clark to do it.

She owed him too much. Her Clark had come back to her, saved her from a life of loneliness, and supported her when no one else would.

Her stomach churned as she remembered how this whole journey started so many years ago. She'd been all alone then. Was that how this was supposed to end?

_Looked like it was still her turn_.

_**Metro Park, ten minutes later**_

Lois Lane-Kent was frustrated. She had to get closer to the action and Oliver was trying to hold her back. She didn't have time for this.

"Look, Oliver," she said, shouting over the sounds of fighting in the distance. "I think I've got something that could get rid of that thing forever."

"I hear you, Legs, but you're not getting anywhere near the fighting," he told her firmly. "That… _thing_ could kill you with a look. The blows that have been going back and forth…" There was the sound of awe in his voice before his gaze returned to his friend. "You have to stay back."

With a frustrated growl, Lois studied Oliver before she opened the bag and let him look inside. "Is that what I think it is?"

Lois nodded.

"I know Clark Luthor is an ass but I'm not sure he deserves Dooms-"

Lois shook her head. "It's broken, see?"

Oliver pushed Lois back as another crash caused the ground to shake. "So what?" He asked.

Before she could answer Oliver held up one finger and turned to talk to someone on the com. That's when Lois saw her opportunity. Moving quietly, she took off into the night and the cover of the trees.

"Damnit, Lois," she heard Oliver following behind just seconds later. "Get back here before Clark kills me."

Lois stopped on the other side of a large elm tree and changed directions. Eventually she found a cluster of bushes and took cover. When she didn't hear the sound of anyone following, she took a moment to catch her breath and think.

She needed to get the mirror box to the Blur… or whoever it was that was fighting Doomsday. On her way out of Tess' office she'd thought about the footage Jimmy had shown her. The guy in the photo was wearing black. He looked like Clark but the uniform was nothing like Clark's. Then of course he was flying. As she ran into her office to grab a bag for the device, she remembered her visit earlier in the day from future Lois…

A doppelganger from the future… could Clark have one, too? It would make a lot of sense. Well, as much sense as having doubles from the future could make.

When the ground trembled again, Lois forced her mind back to why she was there. It didn't matter who was fighting the beast. She needed to get to him.

At the sounds of combat just off to her left, Lois crawled out of the bushes and moved closer.

_**Watchtower, five minutes later**_

The groom was pacing nervously, stopping only occasionally to look at one of the monitors round him. He'd changed into his Blur red and blue just in case but, so far, no one wanted his help. It was maddening.

Watching the fight was just as frustrating. It had been over an hour since Lois had dropped him off and she was no closer to helping her Clark defeat Doomsday. The two of them were keeping the destructive creature contained but, beyond slowing it down, not much had been accomplished.

A frustrated growl escaped Clark as he watched Lois wrestle with the beast. He wasn't used to standing on the sideline while someone else used his powers. It was galling.

Chloe seemed to read his thoughts. "Ugh," she commented to no one in particular. "That is just so weird… 'Blur' Lois." She shook her head. "Never thought I'd see the day…"

Clark stopped and moved behind her. "Maybe I should head over to the park. She has less than twenty minutes-"

Chloe turned around with a sympathetic smile. "Look, I know you're itching to get into the fight but, as you explained it, two Clark's together from different times is bad." She grabbed his arm and leaned forward as if to make her point. "You may just have to sit this one out." Her eyes moved back to the screens. "Besides, my cousin… from the future… or whatever," she waved her hand in the air and smiled proudly. "She's holding her own."

Clark glanced at the monitors and winced. Every time Doomsday landed a punch, Clark expected Lois to fall to the ground in a bloody heap. The fact that other members of the team were on perimeter in case things went wrong was not comforting.

He needed to protect Lois.

With an irritated jerk, he pulled out his phone and dialed his wife's number. Maybe if he talked to her, it would ease his mind. Watching Lois of the future using his abilities plagued him with memories of his Lois struggling with them just a few days ago. Jor-El's little experiment hadn't ended well. Not only had Lois tried to kill him but she'd broken off their engagement.

He went back to pacing while he waited for his wife to answer.

It was a gasp from Chloe that made him stop. "Arrow, zoom in on that…" Chloe was ordering. "Is that who I think it is?"

Without his super hearing, Clark was forced to move closer to catch the answer. "Who?" He asked trying to identify the figure he could only vaguely see on the monitors moving through the darkness.

J'onn spoke over the com. "Victor, I think you can get closer." All three watched as the camera angle narrowed, zooming in the on the person that Clark could now identify as a woman. Before her face came into focus, Clark felt his stomach drop. He would know that woman anywhere.

Chloe turned to him in shock. "Why are there two Lois' at the park?"

Even without his special hearing Clark could hear Oliver's shout. "She said she had something that would take care of Doomsday permanently."

Chloe swallowed. "What is it?"

Clark couldn't take his eyes off the monitor, feeling his heart threaten to beat out of his chest as he watched his wife heading toward danger. "I have to go," he muttered and, without waiting, Clark ran out the door and down to the street.

The streets were empty as he jogged through the city at a frustratingly human pace. When he was closer to the park, he picked up speed.

With or without powers, he would protect both women.

_**Metro Park, ten minutes later**_

Stealthily making her way through the trees, Lois stopped and considered her position. She was in a good location. A few minutes ago she'd been forced to cross and open area and, for a time, she thought she'd been spotted, but then things quieted down when she got back into the tress.

Now, from the other side of a large oak, she could see the grassy area in the center of the park where the fight was happening. So far, just the movement of the combatants was visible but she could hear the booming sound of blows coming from the area as well.

The ground shook with one particularly powerful blow and Lois caught her first glimpse of Doomsday. His red eyes looked eerie in the light of the moon.

Her stomach fell.

_Could she do this?_

It was like facing her worst nightmare. She remained behind the tree for a second and took deep breaths. Right now, there was no one else.

She had to get closer. Before she could engage in any more self-doubt, she threw her body down on the ground and began to move forward on her elbows. The military crawl was one that she was familiar with and she moved quickly away from the shelter of the trees and into the grass.

Once she was in the grass, Lois slowed her pace, crawling more slowly toward the fight. She glanced up to get her bearings and watched as the man in black wrestled with the beast, trying to get the creature in a head lock. Before he could manage, it broke free.

Lois ducked down but when she raised her head again, someone else was fighting Doomsday. The slender figure of the other person looked familiar and, when the moonlight picked up her features, Lois was forced to stifle a gasp. She watched, in amazement, as her double got the monster in a chokehold and held it from behind.

Fascinated now, Lois could only stare as her doppleganger directed beams of heat vision at the back of the monster's skull. Did her double have Clark's powers?

How?

Lois mentally shook her head and tried to block the howling of the beast.

_Stupid question… Jor-El._

Her thoughts were interrupted by the cry from Clark's double.

"Lois, what are you doing?"

Her double seemed to have some difficulty responding. Her answer was given through clenched teeth, but it carried in the night. "Getting rid of this thing!"

"Lois, no," Clark's double cried out and reached his hand toward her shoulder. At the last minute he stopped, clearly torn.

The creature's cries escalated as the heat continued and, for a moment, Lois thought it was working. Then, without any warning, the beams from her double's eyes faded and stopped. Her head seemed to drop and her grip loosened.

With a roar, Doomsday blasted away and future Lois went flying. With a weak cry, she landed hard on the ground. In an instant the man in black was by her side, completely ignoring the monster that seemed to have disappeared.

From her position on the ground, Lois searched for it. Heart pounding, she moved to her knees and froze. There, just a few feet away, stood the creature, breathing rapidly like a beast in pain.

When its red eyes met her own, Lois jumped to her feet and did the only thing she could think of. She ran.

_**Metro Park, same time**_

Clark was at the edge of the trees when his powers returned. The rush was always the same, like taking a deep drink of water or a breath of fresh air. He felt refreshed and renewed. Usually, he felt stronger, and this time was no different.

Still feeling his panic from earlier, he focused his x-ray vision at the same time he put on a burst of speed. Ahead of him, in the center of the park, he could see the figure of a man holding a woman. Given the return of his powers, he could only assume that it was his double and Lois from the future. He hoped that she was okay but Clark didn't stop to check. He needed to find Doomsday.

Scanning a little to left, he put on a burst of speed when he spotted the creature on the other side of the field. It was moving toward a woman who was running. Quickly, he listened for the heartbeat and knew…

"Lois!" His strangled cry drew the creature's attention and, taking advantage of the opportunity, Clark increased his speed even more, hoping to reach Doomsday before it could get closer to Lois. He knew it was going to be close.

As the wind whipped past him, Clark could barely see. Still, when the running figure tripped and fell, his heart constricted. Everything slowed as he put on another burst of speed. For a moment he watched in slow motion as her body went down, her bag went flying in the air, and Doomsday jumped at her feet first.

At the sight of his wife in mortal danger, Clark lost all sense of reason. He had to save her.

With only one thought, he willed himself faster, pushing until he felt himself become airborne. When he reached his wife, he didn't stop. Instead he grabbed for both bag and beast. Managing somehow to get a hand on both, his focus shifted to keeping his grip. Naturally, as if he'd been doing it his entire life, he let his body continue its upward momentum. In the blink of an eye he was soaring toward the clouds.

Pushing himself even more, feeling every muscle clench with the effort, he kept his focus on holding the creature as his body continued away from the earth and the people below. At least everyone was safe as long as he could keep the creature in the air.

By concentrating on all the strength in his arms, Clark managed to contain the beast's struggles while reaching into Lois' bag with one hand. He was surprised by the broken mirror box inside.

Still struggling to keep his grip on the monster, he dropped the bag and, with his hearing, filtered through the voices below. Easily, he tuned into the sound of his wife's voice. His body seemed to sag with relief as he struggled to hold the beast and keep his upward momentum.

"He's got the mirror box, Oliver. If he can activate it, he can send the creature between dimensions. According to Tess there's nothing there…"

_So that's how she planned to permanently remove Doomsday_.

Letting his body shoot higher, Clark again concentrated his strength and slowly positioned himself behind Doomsday. Staying to one side of the spines, he wrapped both arms around the beast and squeezed. The monster roared, and resisted his grip. It felt like Clark was using every ounce of strength he had just to hold on.

It wasn't long before Clark began to feel the strain and he realized that the combined effects of flight and fight were taking a toll on his body.

He needed to act now.

Forced to make a choice, Clark halted his upward momentum. With the beast in his arms, he dropped like a stone. Holding tightly to the box, he fought against the air currents to force the broken device against one of the creature's massive claws. Covering the other with his hand, he used Doomsday's strength against him and twisted the metal until a strange, gray light appeared.

Clark felt the pull of the device and sensed a dark nothingness just beyond. With what was left of his strength he let go and forced himself away. Completely spent, feeling suddenly drained, Clark kept his eyes on the creature until, with a roar, Doomsday disappeared into the dark gray emptiness beyond.

Releasing the breath he hadn't realized he was holding, Clark fought for control, but all of his energy was drained. He closed his eyes and dropped rapidly to the earth below.

_**Metro Park, same time**_

Lois Lane-Kent waited and watched, trying to spot her husband against the night sky. It was impossible. Surrounded now by the team, she was trying to listen to Oliver, but her eyes were continually drawn to the couple on the grass nearby.

"Watchtower, we're going to need an ambulance… and Emil," Oliver spoke into the com. Without waiting for an answer, he turned to Victor. "Eyes in the sky, man."

"I'm on it," Victor told him quietly, the whir that signaled the process barely audible. "He's too high right now."

Impatient now, knowing that there was nothing she could do, Lois found her feet moving to the couple just a few feet away. In the dim light she studied the man who looked so much like her husband. "Is she all right?" Lois asked the man in black.

When he looked up at her, Lois started in surprise. She suspected the man looked like Clark but… seeing him like this was a shocker. Physically, they were identical but she could see differences, significant differences.

This Clark had been through hell. The effects were clear in his eyes. Something in the blue depths reminded Lois of guys who'd returned from the fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq. She found herself praying that her Clark would never look like that.

"She'll be fine," he said sharply and Lois was again surprised by the differences… this Clark's voice was rougher, raspy and deep.

"We should get her to the hospital," she replied.

Clark shook his head. "I need to get her home. The Legion… they'll know what to do." Just then the woman in his arms moaned and Lois watched as the man's attention immediately turned to her.

"Lois… Lois, are you okay?"

Another moan and she spoke. "Is that thing… gone?"

"Yes," her Clark responded without hesitation and Lois looked at him in surprise. Did he really know?

"Clark?" Somehow Lois knew that her double was talking about her husband and not the man holding her.

"He'll be fine. I need to get you out of here-"

Her hand reached up and her eyes fluttered. "No… need to make sure," she breathed.

When her arm fell back down, Clark's double lost it. "Damn it, Lois! He'll be fine," he told her in a tightly controlled voice. "Now, I'm going to get you home. Garth… he'll know what to do."

Lois was shocked by the fear and raw need she saw in this Clark's eyes. Did her Clark feel the same?

_He needs you._

The future Lois seemed to think so. Before the wedding, she thought she understood what her future self meant. But now, looking at this Clark's face, she realized she'd had only a limited understanding. Seeing it was almost too much…

"There he is!" Lois turned to Victor at the words and watched the figure that seemed to be falling at an alarming speed.

"Someone help him!" The words were ripped from her as she quit worrying about how much Clark needed her and realized just how much she needed him. She turned to face Clark's doppelganger to beg him for help but he was gone.

Suddenly, the day caught up with her. As the team headed westerly, Lois was left standing in the middle of the field wondering what she would do if her Clark didn't survive the fall.

As her surroundings faded, she thought he heard Oliver's voice. "Look, he's come back. He's going for the Boy Scout…"

Lois Lane-Kent didn't hear anymore as the events of the day finally caught up to her and she collapsed on the ground.

_**Metropolis, four weeks later**_

The sun was setting low in the sky when Clark Kent walked out onto the roof of the Daily Planet and leaned against the low stone wall. He released a sigh and tried to clear his mind.

Since the night that Doomsday was sent between realities - between dimensions - everything had changed.

The newspaper where he worked was now solely a Queen Industries publication. In a few short weeks Lex Luthor had separated Luthorcorp from Oliver's company and created Lexcorp. As CEO, this new Lex had already increased the price of stock and created a new up-and-coming Fortune five hundred corporation.

Clark wasn't sure how he'd done it in such a short time but Lex had become a rising star in Metropolis - eligible bachelor, wealthy businessman, and rising philanthropist. More outgoing than the Lex that Clark knew, Lex from another dimension was confident, brilliant and charming.

Unfortunately, Clark's wife was convinced that he was the devil incarnate. At first, Clark was almost amused by her suspicions but, when Tess disappeared two weeks ago, he'd become concerned about her developing an obsession.

"_No one gets away with messing with my boss," Lois told Clark one night as she paced the floor of her office._

_Clark kept his sigh to himself. He'd heard all this before. "Unless it's you," he muttered under his breath, turning the pages of that day's edition._

"_What?" Lois asked, clearly distracted. She waved a hand in the air toward the new editor's office. "Oh, right. Well, Perry doesn't seem to mind," she commented, resuming her pacing._

_Calmly, Clark sat down the paper and stood up and put his body directly in his wife's path. "Lois," he said when she stopped with a start, looking up into his eyes. "What's this about?"_

"_What do you mean?" At Clark's raised brows, Lois' gaze slid away, something he noticed that seemed to be happening a lot lately. "Fine," she responded after a few seconds of silence from him. "Tess was my friend, okay? One of the few," When her hazel eyes returned to his they were filled with indignation. "She deserves to have someone find out what happened to her, and I'm going to do it."_

_Clark pulled his wife close, and felt her stiffen a little. When he released her he couldn't hold back a sigh any longer. "Lois-"_

"_It's all right, Clark," she told him. "I'm going to get to the bottom of this. It's what I do."_

Clark felt his heart tighten at the memory. For some reason he felt that Lois' obsession wasn't just about hunting Tess. It seemed to be an excuse to distance herself from him. She was pulling away from him and he couldn't understand why.

What had happened?

He wasn't sure because she refused to talk about the night Doomsday attacked. She hadn't mentioned his alter ego, even though the Blur was the hot topic of conversation lately. After Doomsday was defeated, Jimmy's photo had convinced people that the Blur was responsible for the city's salvation. Since then, media attention had focused on the hero to the point that Clark couldn't patrol during the day, only at night.

Part of him wondered if the additional attention was the problem, but Lois wouldn't talk about that either. "It will settle down eventually, Clark," was all she would say.

It hadn't died down, though. Now, Clark felt like he was living up to only part of his potential as a hero. Something needed to change, but he wasn't sure what. Without his wife's input, Clark felt a little lost.

He sighed again as he looked out at the beauty of the sun setting over the city.

_Where was she_?

Opening his hearing, Clark listened for her heartbeat, one of the only things that kept his calm right now. When he found it, hearing a fast and almost erratic beat, he straightened and listened more closely. Her heart only beat like that when she was afraid.

Lois was in trouble.

Shifting his hearing, he listened for her voice.

"Boy, you thugs have no imagination," he heard her say against the background of wind and a steady "thud, thud, thud" sound. "Tie a girl up, take her somewhere quiet, and try to get rid of her."

She was outside, but where?

He heard her grunt lightly before she continued. "Well, at least you have a helicopter… _impressive_." Behind the sarcasm, her heart was racing. For all her bravado, Clark could tell she was scared.

His own heart started beating in time with the blades as he tried to pinpoint his wife's location. Silently he berated himself for not paying closer attention. Maybe she was drifting away because he was letting her.

The sound of the helicopter grew louder and Clark turned his head to look for it. As he watched, the helicopter rose from a building several blocks away. When it turned and headed west, Clark breathed a sigh of relief. Soon, it would fly past the roof of the Daily Planet.

Quickly, Clark removed his glasses and changed into his Blur uniform, getting ready to follow. He was still watching the helicopter, waiting for it to get closer, when his super hearing picked the sound of a sudden rush of wind.

"Hey … what do you think…?"

Before Clark could react, he heard Lois scream. The sound seemed to fill the air around him until it was all he heard. For a moment, he stood frozen in shock. Then he saw a speck falling in the distance and knew that his wife had been thrown out somewhere above the two highest skyscrapers in Metropolis.

He could not let her fall.

Unexpectedly, Clark was reminded of the night a few weeks ago when he'd seen Doomsday preparing to crush her. His emotions exploded in response to the fear. Like that night, he didn't think; he took off and let his body do the rest.

As if he done it a million times, he willed his body to go faster and faster until time itself seemed to slow. Once he was in the air, the effect was exhilarating and overwhelming, but he didn't stop to think about it.

He was too scared.

Instead he pushed himself to reach the woman who was currently dropping at an alarming rate. Holding out his arms, he didn't slow but swooped down and literally scooped her out of the sky. Heading up the side of one building until he was level with the top, he willed his body to stop. A small part of him was surprised when it did.

For a minute all he could do was hold her, while he tried to calm his racing heart. In the distance, he could hear the honking of horns and the bystander's questions. Even at this height he was clearly visible.

"_What is that?"_

"_I thought it was a falling body…"_

"_Is it the Blur again?"_

"_Is he flying?"_

Clark ignored them. He was interested in only one woman's reaction. Blue eyes locked with hazel and he could see the relief, fear and the amazement in hers.

"Don't worry," he told her, his heart still hammering in his chest. "I've got you."

Her return smile was a little shaky. "Uhm… thanks." As was so common lately her eyes drifted away. She looked down at the crowd below. "Looks like you've increased your following."

Clark refused to tear his gaze from her face. "I don't give a…" He took a deep breath and tried to calm his heart when her shocked gaze returned to his. "I don't care about the crowd, Lois. Are you okay?"

She nodded slowly. "I'm fine, Clark."

Her speculative gaze stayed on his face as he flew to the roof of the Daily Planet with Lois in his arms, slowing his descent until his feet touched the roof. Quietly he breathed out a sigh of relief, keeping his arms around his wife.

When he spoke to her, his voice was barely controlled. "What were you doing?" He felt his arms tighten instinctively. "Do you know what could have happened?" At the surprised look in her face, his voice got louder. "You could have died. I could have lost you. What would I…?"

Resisting the urge to shake her, his voice trailed off when she smiled her slow smile, the one that he had absolutely no defense against.

"Lois," he groaned right before he crushed her in his arms and covered her mouth with his own, letting her feet dangle as he crushed her body against his chest. His lips were almost as forceful and, by the time he pulled away, she was breathless.

Clark's own heart was pounding wildly by the time he lowered her to her feet. "What happened?"

Her eyes were still closed when she answered. "I was thrown out of a helicopter."

For a second, Clark seriously considered strangling her. "Right," he drawled. "I mean before that… who were those men?"

She opened her eyes but kept them fixed on his chest. "I'm not sure-"

Exasperated he repeated the question.

"You know," she remarked, rubbing her fingers along his chest while looking up with a dimpled grin. "The flying thing is pretty sexy."

Clark captured her hand and tried to ignore the chills going up his spine from his wife's touch. "Lois, I could have lost you today… do you know how that makes me feel-"

"I could have lost you weeks ago," Lois practically shouted, and Clark felt his head snap back. Her voice lowered. "I think I know how you feel…"

As Lois' anger left her, her voice trailed away. When her hand returned to his chest, rubbing small circles there, he waited. Whatever was on her mind, he wanted to hear it. Anything was better than this distance.

"I was so afraid," she confessed, looking at him through her lashes. "That night with Doomsday… I realized what it would do to me if I lost you. I saw your doppelganger and his reaction to almost losing my double."

Clark waited while she paused for a breath. Her eyes finally lifted to search each of his. "It scares me, Clark, how much I love you."

"Lois," he began, trying to find the right words to comfort her, and sighing when he knew there weren't any. He pressed his forehead to hers instead and gave her the truth. "It scares me, too."

Her eyes closed. "So, what do we do?"

When he shrugged she shifted closer and moved her lips against his neck. "We learn to live with it, I guess," he breathed out when she started to nip at his skin. She was scattering his concentration.

"Hmmm," was her only response.

Clark felt the heat from her lips spread, warming him to his toes. "Lois-" he moaned.

"You know," she said between kisses. "Maybe it's time for a new identity."

Clark tried to follow her train of thought, but her kisses were turning him to mush. "I don't think-"

She interrupted, kissing a path along his jaw. "How – about - Flyboy?" Before he could form a respond, she kissed along the side of his mouth. "Skyman?"

Clark's legs were turning to jelly. "Lois-"

"No?"

"Lois?" Clark interrupted, pushing her away so he could search her eyes.

"Yes, Clark?"

There was no longer a distance there… just desire.

Clark smiled a slow smile. "Shut up," he said lowering his mouth to hers before she could say another word. The minute their lips touched he felt the fire and gloried in it, no longer afraid but reveling in their need for each other.

After all, as long as he had Lois by his side, he could do anything… even fly.

_**Same time**_

An almost identical couple stood on a rooftop two buildings over and watched, one with a sense of satisfaction, the other with a growing sense of irritation.

"Wife," the man growled out in a rougher voice than his counterpart. "We shouldn't be here," he complained. "You shouldn't be time-traveling at all after your injuries." His arms tightened possessively around her from behind as his voice softened. "Also, it might hurt the baby."

Completely unaffected by his gruff tone, Lois squeezed her husband's hand with a contented sigh and leaned back against his chest.

_What a worry-wart_.

"Imra said one little trip wouldn't do any harm… to either of us," she reminded him in low tones, watching as the couple two roofs over continued to enjoy themselves. After a minute she turned in her own husband's arms and leaned up to plant a soft kiss on his lips.

"Besides you shouldn't complain about time travel. It's probably what gave us our little bundle of joy in the first place," she said smugly.

His return smile was tinged with exasperation. "We don't know that. You only had Clark's powers for a short time. Imra doesn't know if that's what made us… uhm, more compatible or not."

Lois smiled at the blush on her husband's cheeks, as she marveled at his ability to be embarassed given all he'd been through. "Well, since we've been told that humans and Kryptonians aren't normally compatible…"

Clark held up his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay, so our last trip was… _rewarding_. That doesn't mean we have to keep coming back here," Clark paused for a minute, eyebrows rising at the look on her face. "Does it?"

Lois chuckled. "Maybe."

"Lois," he mumbled as he lightly nuzzled the skin of her neck. "Mission accomplished. He's flying and on his way to being Superman. Let's go home."

"You know," she told him, trying to clear her passion-filled brain with a slight shake of the head. "It's not just the baby. If it weren't for time travel you probably wouldn't be working with the Legion, you wouldn't be with me… you might not even be here right now."

She regretted the words when Clark raised his head and some of Night's grimness returned to his expression. "The Legion didn't save me Lois," he told her. "You did."

Cursing her hormones, she managed to blink back the tears that threatened. "It wasn't me," she told him, clearing her throat. "It was destiny." She tilted her head toward the couple on the roof two buildings away. "Lois and Clark are meant to be together."

The look in her husband's eyes stole her breath as his lips came down on hers. The kiss was needy and urgent and she surrendered to it without hesitation.

When he pulled away, his eyes were dark and stormy and Lois felt her body respond to what she knew he wanted. "Are we done here?"

She turned slightly to look at the couple on the other roof with a sense of satisfaction and closure. They were well on their way … time for her to get on with her life. She nodded to her husband. "Let's go home."

As one odyssey was ending, another had just begun.

THE END


End file.
